


The Untold Tales - 2019

by Kai517_TeenWriter



Series: A Story/One-Shot Per Fandom [9]
Category: The Invisible Library - Genevieve Cogman
Genre: 3/30/19 - Irene/Kai Becomes a Legit Relationship Tag on Ao3!!!, Ao3 DOES Recognize the Characters!!!, C'est la vie, Discovery Made 1/29/19, F/M, Gen, I Wish That Ao3 Would Recognize the Characters, M/M, Mild Language, Multi, One-Shot Collection, One-Shots, Other, You're Welcome People, but hey
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-14
Updated: 2019-09-25
Packaged: 2019-10-10 05:09:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 101
Words: 56,239
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17419673
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kai517_TeenWriter/pseuds/Kai517_TeenWriter
Summary: A collection of one-shots inspired by "The Invisible Library" series by Genevieve Cogman.





	1. [Table of Contents]

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Jai_Wolf](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jai_Wolf/gifts), [MossyFlossy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MossyFlossy/gifts).



> Requests are always open, both here in the comments or over on Tumblr (kai517-teenwriter). Nothing NSFW, but other than that, go bananas!

**Comfort**

**Published January 14, 2019  
** **1,191 words**

_Set between "The Burning Page" and "The Lost Plot"  
__Irene and Kai  
__Slight Irene/Kai_

Both Irene and Kai are extremely tired, but can't seem to get to sleep.

**Scars**

**Published January 14, 2019  
** **566 words**

_Set during chapter ten of "The Lost Plot"  
__Irene and Kai  
__Slight Irene/Kai_

When Irene's scars reopen, Kai is glad to help bandage them.

**The Music**

**Published January 15, 2019  
** **644 words**

 _Slight canon divergence of chapter fifteen of "The Burning Page"  
_ _Irene and Kai  
_ _Slight Irene/Kai_

In which Kai gets his dance with Irene.

**Peace - Comfort, part two**

**Published January 29, 2019  
** **1,659 words**

 _Set between "The Burning Page"  
_ _Irene and Kai  
_ _Slight Irene/Kai_

The morning after "Comfort."  
[Requested by CharnaBelle.]

**Gabriel**

**Published February 4, 2019  
** **2,883 words**

 _Set after "The Mortal Word"  
_ _Irene, Kai, Vale, and Gabriel  
_ _Irene/Kai_

Gabriel Alabaster Strongrock-Winters was hardly a week old when he first met his father...

**Sick Day - part one**

**Published February 6, 2019  
** **2,331 words**

 _Set after "The Invisible Library"  
_ _Irene, Kai, and Vale_

When Kai catches a cold, Irene is forced to hold down the fort and take care of him.

**"Irene" - February 13, 2019**

**Published February 13, 2019  
** **92 words**

_Creative Writing assignment; acrostic poem_

**Footsteps - part one**

**Published February 21, 2019  
** **1,734 words**

 _Set eighteen years after "Gabriel"  
_ _Irene, Kai, Vale, Gabriel, Grace, Miles, and Connor  
_ _Irene/Kai_

Now that Gabe's eighteen, the big question on everyone's mind is... 'Whose footsteps will he follow in?'

**Charlotte - Sick Day, part two**

**Published February 25, 2019  
** **1,342 words**

 _Set after "The Invisible Library"  
_ _Irene, Kai, Vale, and Charlotte_

A Librarian comes, needing Irene's aid.

**Through the Smog**

**Published February 27, 2019  
** **311 words**

 _Creative Writing assignment; sensory language paragraph  
_ _**Not necessarily related to "The Invisible Library," but still set in Victorian England**_

**Irene & Gabe**

**Published March 20, 2019  
** **2,002 words**

 _Set after "The Mortal Word"; fifteen or sixteen years after "Gabriel"  
_ _Irene and Gabriel  
_ _Irene/Kai_

Gabe accompanies Irene on a book heist.

**Interlude: Kai in the Library**

**Published March 22, 2019  
** **575 words**

 _Set during the early chapters of "The Invisible Library"  
_ _Kai and Coppelia_

Kai's been in the Library for five years.  
But that's about to change.

**Stop the World**

**Published March 28, 2019  
** **1,314 words**

 _Set anywhere; hints at canon in "The Burning Page" and "The Lost Plot"  
_ _Irene, Vale, Elizabeth, and Thomas  
_ _Irene/Vale_

It's bedtime at the Vale household.

**Meeting Gabe**

**Published March 30, 2019  
** **748 words**

 _Set five days before "Gabriel"  
_ _Irene, Vale, and Gabriel  
_ _Irene/Kai_

In which Irene and Vale get to meet Gabriel Alabaster Strongrock-Winters for the first time.

**New Beginnings - part one**

**Published April 12, 2019  
** **2,770 words**

 _Poem-based; set in multiple places over the first few years of Gabe's life  
_ _Irene, Kai, Vale, and Gabriel  
_ _Irene/Kai_

Snippets of different instances of the life of young Gabriel Alabaster Strongrock-Winters.

**Layover**

**Published April 16, 2019  
** **503 words**

 _Modern AU  
_ _Irene, Kai, and Vale  
_ _Irene/Kai_

There's a bit of a wait now that the plane has been laid over.

**The Evil Creepy-Crawlies**

**Published April 17, 2019  
** **662 words**

 _Set after "The Invisible Library"  
_ _Irene and Kai  
_ _Slight Irene/Kai_

Kai sees a spider. Irene, as usual, has to play the hero.

**Egg Hunt**

**Published April 24, 2019  
** **594 words**

 _Set in timeline started with "Stop the World"  
_ _Irene, Vale, Elizabeth, Thomas, and Helene  
_ _Irene/Vale_

Helene sets up an Easter egg hunt for Liza and Tommy.

**Coffee & Kisses**

**Published April 24, 2019  
** **754 words**

 _Set in Modern AU; sequel to "Layover"  
_ _Irene and Kai  
_ _Irene/Kai_

Kai's in town, and he insists that Irene meets him for coffee.

**Suds & Buds**

**Published May 3, 2019  
** **930 words**

 _Set five years after "Gabriel"  
_ _Irene, Kai, Vale, Gabriel, and Alister  
_ _Irene/Kai_

The gang spends some time goofing off with a foam machine.  
Vale isn't having any of it.

**Crown of Flowers**

**Published May 3, 2019  
** **892 words**

 _Set before the series, when Vale is six years old  
_ _Vale and Helene_

Young Vale and Helene go out to pick flowers.

**Stargazing**

**Published May 14, 2019  
** **462 words**

 _Set before the series, when Vale is eleven years old  
_ _Vale and Helene_

Since Helene is heading off to finishing school soon, she knows that she needs to spend as much quality time with her younger cousin as possible.

**Flat Finders**

**Published May 14, 2019  
** **647 words**

 _Set after "The Invisible Library"  
_ _Irene, Kai, and Vale_

Vale helps Irene and Kai find a more permanent home in the London of B-395.

**Dust and Ashes**

**Published May 15, 2019  
** **186 words**

 _Set anywhere after "Gabriel"  
_ _Vale (with mentions of Irene and Kai)_

**Birthday**

**Published May 17, 2019  
** **589 words**

 _Set between "Flat Finders" and "Sick Day"  
_ _Irene and Kai  
_ _Slight Irene/Kai_

It's almost Irene's birthday.

**Those Magic Changes**

**Published May 24, 2019  
** **457 words**

 _Set anywhere before "The Lost Plot"  
_ _Irene and Kai  
_ _Slight Irene/Kai_

**Helene & William - part one**

**Published May 24, 2019  
** **948 words**

 _Set before the events of "The Invisible Library;" about five years after "Stargazing"  
_ _Vale, Helene, and William  
_ _Counts as Helene/William, I suppose_

The first group in of snippets detailing the marriage of Vale's older cousin, Helene.

**Days of Summer**

**Published June 5, 2019  
** **745 words**

_High School AU  
Irene, Kai, and Vale_

It's the last day of school.

 ** Liza **

**Published June 29, 2019  
****1,675**   **words**

 _Following the "IrAle" timeline_  
Irene, Vale, Vale's housekeeper, and Elizabeth  
Irene/Vale

Two instances in the early life of Elizabeth Rose Vale.  
Or, rather: when Irene tells Vale they're going to be parents, and when Vale first meets his daughter.

**In Some Other Alternate**

**Published July 24, 2019  
** **69 words**

 _Anywhere, really_  
Vague hints at Irene, Kai, and Vale  
Hints of Irene/Kai, written in regards to possible Irene/Vale

A brief poem I wrote that kind of made me think of Vale... *shrugs*

** Safe **

**Published July 28, 2019  
299 words**

 _Takes place after "The Masked City."  
__Requested by coffee-goth-princess on Tumblr: "Hey, hey, calm down. They can't hurt you anymore."_  
Irene and Kai

**Hiss**

**Published July 31, 2019  
166 words**

_Set immediately after "The Masked City."_  
Requested by coffee-goth-princess on Tumblr: "Did you just hiss at me?"  
Irene, [mentions of Kai], and Coppelia

**Walking in Memphis**

**Published August 7, 2019  
****753**   **words**

 _Irene, Kai, and Vale  
_ _Hints at Irene/Kai_

**Best Worst Mistake**

**Published August 7, 2019  
270 words**

_Set pre-canon  
__Vale and Lord Silver_  
Vale/Silver

 ** Hey, Kid **

**Published August 7, 2019  
245 words**

_Set in between the two parts of "Liza."_  
Vale and [mentions of Elizabeth and Irene]  
Irene/Vale

Vale ponders on his impending fatherhood.

** Rules **

**Published August 7, 2019  
152 words**

_Little nod to the final chapters of "The Lost Plot."_  
Irene and [mentions of Kai]  
Hints at Irene/Kai

** Otters **

**Published August 8, 2019  
** **356 words**

_Irene, Kai, Vale, Gabriel, and Alister  
Irene/Kai_

Gabe's favorites were the otters.

** Take a Break **

**Published August 11, 2019  
523 words**

_Requested by an anon on Tumblr: "Can you write some platonic Irene and Vale fluff pleeeeeeease 🖤  
_ _Irene and Vale_

 ** Uniforms **

**Published August 11,** 2019  
**172 words**

_Requested by percybleu on Tumblr: "The Invisible Library, “Sorry, but where I come from, legit policemen don’t wear matching tracksuits.” (From The fake redhead’s writing prompts)"  
Irene, Kai, and Vale_

** Shirt **

**Published August 11, 2019  
152 words**

_Requested by an anon on Tumblr: "30. "Help me find my shirt" / "You know, as much as I want to... I don't want to.""_  
Irene and Kai  
Slight hints of Irene/Kai

**Cuddles**

**Published August 14, 2019  
165 words**

_Requested by coffee-goth-princess on Tumblr: "cuddling in bed."_  
_Irene and Kai_  
_Hints at Irene/Kai_

Irene had to admit that she never felt better than she did in Kai's arms.

** Interlude: You Don't Need to Love Me **

**Published August 14, 2019  
247 words**

_Set in the middle of "The Invisible Library."  
Irene and Kai_

** What Would I Do Without You? **

**Published August 14, 2019  
199 words**

_Set after "The Masked City."  
Irene and Kai_

** Another Day **

**Published August 17, 2019  
334 words**

_Takes place immediately before "Best Worst Mistake."_  
Vale and Lord Silver  
Vale/Silver

Forget regret, or life is yours to miss.

**Far From the Home I Love**

**Published August 20, 2019  
204 words**

_Takes place post-canon_  
Irene and Coppelia, with [mentions of Kai, Vale, and Gabriel]  
Slightly hints at Irene/Kai

** Play **

**Published August 20, 2019  
410 words**

_Irene, Kai, Vale, Alister, Haven, and Gabriel  
Irene/Kai_

The world is so mysterious and wild when you start to see it through the eyes of a child.

**Love Never Dies**

**Published August 20, 2019  
145 words**

_Set after "The Lost Plot."  
__Irene and [mentions of Kai]_  
_Slightly hints at Irene/Kai_

  **Still Hurting**

 **Published August 20, 2019  
****344**   **words**

_Irene and [mentions of Kai]  
Slightly hints at Irene/Kai_

** Soulmates? **

**Published August 23, 2019  
236 words**

** Mistletoe **

**Published August 23, 2019  
410 words**

** Sleep  
**

**Published August 23, 2019  
308 words**

** Snowball **

** More Cuddles **

** Wedding Talk **

**Published August 24, 2019  
383 words**

** You + Me **

** Waterloo **

** Angeleyes **

** Mamma Mia **

** The Name of the Game **

** One of Us **

**Breathe **

** Bold-Faced Lie **

** Hypothermia **

** Lullaby **

** Gabe's First Birthday **

** Words of Affirmation **

**Published August 28, 2019  
144 words**

** Teething & Fever **

**Published August 28, 2019  
291 words**

** Farewell **

**Published August 29, 2019  
308 words**

** Magic Lessons **

**Published August 29, 2019  
236 words**

** Peanut Butter **

**Published August 29, 2019  
247 words**

** The Question **

**Published August 29, 2019  
282 words**

** Caretaker **

**Published August 30, 2019  
486 words**

** Big Sister - part one **

**Published August 31, 2019  
217 words**

** Even MORE Cuddles **

**Published August 31, 2019  
132 words**

** Distraction **

**Published September 3, 2019  
178 words**

** Shut Up **

**Published September 3, 2019  
216 words**

** When You're Next to Me **

**Published September 3, 2019  
103 words**

** Kicks **

**Published September 3, 2019  
291 words**

** "Just Sleep" **

**Published September 3, 2019  
258 words**

** Stolen Kisses **

**Published September 3, 2019  
310 words**

_Requested by coffee-goth-princess on Tumblr._  
Irene, Kai, and Vale.  
Irene/Kai

** Miracle of Miracles **

**Published September 3, 2019  
205 words**

** Manifestation **

**Published September 3, 2019**

**300 words**


	2. Comfort

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Both Irene and Kai are extremely tired, but can't seem to get to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Set somewhere-- anywhere, really-- between "The Burning Page" and "The Lost Plot."
> 
> Also, I nearly forgot: please don't get on my back if I ever start going all grammatically incorrect. I'm a writer, yes, and I love reading, but that doesn't mean that I got all A's in English class.
> 
> Written about sleepy people by a sleepy person, possibly even for more sleepy people...

Books. Papers. Hundreds upon thousands of them.

All on fire.

Alberich's anguished cries; his attempts to use the Language to stop the flames from demolishing everything.

The futility of it all.

Irene's mind raced as all of the events of her most recent confrontation came flooding back, as they so often did nowadays come evening. None of these were pleasant memories-- she had  _destroyed_   _books_ , an action that was practically sacrilege,  _especially_ to a Librarian-- though she knew that she had done what she needed to in order to escape Alberich. It wasn't as if she'd had any other options.

Sleep had been fleeting recently, mainly due to the events of said confrontation. She had tried multiple things in attempts to remedy her sudden insomnia, but she found that everything she tried was in vain. (After considering brandy as a possible solution-- the drink ended up keeping her up for even longer, and her mind ended up racing for even  _more_ reasons than just the bad memories-- she had even considered going to Vale and requesting some morphine, though she eventually ended up discarding  _that_ idea because using such means to reach a peaceful night's sleep was exactly what she was trying to help Vale  _stop_ doing, and what kind of role model would that make her?)

"Irene?"

Irene turned to see an extremely tired-looking Kai standing at the top of the stairs, looking almost like a sleepy child in need of a mother's warm embrace.

Except that Kai  _wasn't_ a child. Granted, he acted like one sometimes-- he kept on insisting on having things one way (especially when it came to his strong desire to have Irene herself as a bed partner), and he could often be found brooding around-- but still. He was a young man, a dragon prince... He was supposed to be much more independent than this.

_Add to my to-do list,_ Irene thought bitterly,  _try cutting down the mutual dependency._

"Irene, it's four in the morning," Kai tried again, slowly descending the stairs, "what are you still doing awake?"

She fixed him with a glare, trying to be as authoritative as she could be while fighting her exhaustion. "I might ask you the same thing."

"Irene..."

She shook her head firmly, pointing to the seat across from her. "No. Sit."

He did.

"Now answer me," she said sternly, meeting his tired gaze with one of her own, "why are  _you_ still up at this hour? We both know you need your rest, what with that big get-together or whatever..."

Kai tilted his head to the side a little bit, a new concern washing over him. Irene didn't make any attempts to fix her own speech, to actually give regard to the grammatical carelessness she had just displayed. She  _never_ showed such a blatant disregard to the oh-so-logical rules of language.

She must be in some serious turmoil.

But Kai caved, deciding that perhaps it was best if he just did as she had asked. "I've been a little lacking in sleep lately."

Irene was suddenly alert. "Like Vale?"

"Sort of," he admitted, "but not exactly to that degree."

"How do you mean, then?"

Kai shrugged, seeming to be studying his feet. "Well, first off, it hasn't been since Venice. It's been going on ever since... Ever since Alberich."

Irene quirked an eyebrow. Was Kai also being haunted by the images of burning books, or by Alberich's voice? Somehow, Irene seriously doubted that it had affected him as much as it had done so to her.

"Would you care to explain?"

A sharp inhalation from Kai. "Believe me, I try to get _some_ sleep. During my waking hours, I'm plagued by memories of Venice. I am not bothered by such things while I sleep, but you..."

" _Me_?"

"Yes, you," Kai confirmed, "Irene, I feel that it's my responsibility to look after you, and that includes making sure that you get sleep, too. And I know that I haven't been doing terribly well with  _that_ lately..."

Irene's other eyebrow shot up. "Oh?"

"I know you haven't been getting much sleep since the entire Alberich ordeal," he said softly, taking her hand in his, "you... You kind of breathe loudly when you sleep. Loud enough for me to hear you, even from next door. But I haven't really been hearing that, not since... Him."

Kai seemed extremely embarrassed to be admitting something that was honestly just an innocent observation about her. But Irene could understand where he could've picked up such a detail about her. After all, they  _did_ share lodgings, and they did have rooms right next to each other. If Irene hadn't wanted Kai to pick up on her sleeping habits, she would've either chosen not to share lodgings with him in the first place or attempted to find a place with thicker walls.

"So you haven't been sleeping lately... Because you've been concerned about  _me_ getting sleep," Irene said, trying to clarify things with him.

Kai nodded and Irene sighed, clearly becoming more exasperated by the minute. What could  _she_ do about it? If she slept, images of burning books would enter her mind-- even more clearly than they did when she was conscious-- and she knew for a fact that they weren't going to leave anytime soon. As for Kai, the exact opposite was true. And now, her inability to sleep was causing an even larger problem, one she was unsure of how to fix.

"And how do  _you_ suggest we fix this?" she asked instead, trying to put Kai's cognative skills to use, too, "if you have any ideas, I'd love to hear them. Because, believe me, this isn't exactly my cup of tea."

Kai seemed to think on this for a minute or two, steepling his fingers in front of his face, just as Vale would. And then an idea seemed to hit him, and he spoke.

"How about..." he paused, seeming to be searching for a good way to phrase whatever it was that he had in mind, "how about we share a bed?"

She opened her mouth to protest-- how insistent could he be, even when there was a situation like this at hand?-- but he held up his hand to stop her.

"Not... Not like that," Kai clarified for her, "I meant... You've read some of those contemporary novels? From more technology-driven worlds, I think. There's quite a few of them out there where the guy and the girl share a bed but don't  _do_ anything. Just... Hold each other."

Irene nodded thoughtfully. "I think I've read some of those... But you really think that'd work?"

"Irene. We've faced a lot over the past year or so-- Venice, Alberich, the alligators, among many others-- all of which sound like some sort of fictional trope, if you ask me. So... If those worked somehow, why shouldn't  _this_?"

Irene had to admit, he had a bit of a point there. "I suppose it's worth a shot. But you have to promise me that you won't try anything."

"I won't," Kai agreed, putting his right fist over his heart, "you have my word."


	3. Scars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Irene's scars reopen, Kai is glad to help bandage them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Takes place somewhere during chapter ten of "The Lost Plot," when Irene and Kai are on the subway.
> 
> Fair warning to those of you who don't know me yet: I tend to write rather short at times. So, yes, this is going to be considerably shorter than "Comfort." I deeply apologize, and I'll try to write longer in the future. (I'm not as proud of this one as I am of "Comfort," but it's still something).

Irene winced as she pulled the bandage tighter over her hand, feeling the tender skin throb in resistance to the gauzy material. The scars on her hand had been  _healing_ \-- if not completely healed-- and they had been  _fine_. But put her in a New York crowd with gunmen nearby, and it was all for naught.

And now, she had to spend some extra time tending to her wounds yet again, instead of reading the book that Kai had stolen for her. But at least she was doing  _something._

"Damn it!" she cursed under her breath as her fingernails accidentally grazed her skin, further irritating her injury.

"Why don't you just use the Language?" Kai whispered to her, careful not to let anyone hear him, "using it to tie the bandage, at least?"

Irene sighed. "I've already tried. Watch.  **Gauze bandage, wrap around my hand tightly enough to help as my scars close and heal once more."**

The bandaged tightened significantly, too tight for her comfort. She winced, cursing again, before just tearing the bandage away from her hand in frustrated defeat.

"I hate this stupid thing," she muttered angrily, sounding almost on the verge of tears.

Kai put a hand on her knee, offering her a comforting smile. "Do you need some help there?"

"It can't hurt to try, I suppose."

Kai took the bandage from her, firmly grasping her wrist as he began to wrap the bandage around her hand. Immediately, Irene could sense a difference in how Kai helped in bandaging the scars: when she did it on her own, the bandaging was too loose to possibly be effective, but using the Language made it become too tight. But Kai made sure to be gentle with it, but not  _too_ gentle.

"You're surprisingly good at this," she noted, "though I honestly wish I  _didn't_ know... Or, at least, that I didn't find out like  _this_."

Kai chuckled a little. "I know," he said in a consoling tone, "and I wish it was different, too."

"Ngh!" Irene suddenly hissed, " _Kai_!"

As he had been speaking, Kai's grip on her wrist had gotten tighter to the point where his fingernails dug into her skin. He immediately noticed his error and let go of her.

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay," she said, her voice suddenly sharp and steely, "are you almost done?"

"Yes," Kai replied evenly, "just let me... Figure out how to tie it off..."

"Don't worry; I've got that covered.  **Bandage ends, tie firmly together."**

The two ends of the bandage rose slightly into the air before neatly knotting together at her wrist. Kai watched on in amazement, enthralled with how the Language was at work. He knew full-well how it was better  _not_  to use the Language to try healing wounds, but he was constantly amazed at the many ways that Irene was able to use it in order to  _help_  speed the process.

Once the two of them had confirmed that the knot was finished and wasn't bound to come undone anytime soon, they relaxed considerably. Kai took Irene's bandaged hand in his, lifting it up and brushing the lightest of kisses against it. Irene noticed, of course, but she was a little too tired to put up a fight. So, instead, she just leaned against him, resting her head on his shoulder, and closed her eyes, allowing herself to succumb to sleep.


	4. The Music

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Kai gets his dance with Irene.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A slight AU of chapter fifteen of "The Burning Page."
> 
> And this one... This one's just because I needed this sort of thing in my life, but Genevieve Cogman wouldn't give it to me. So why not do it myself?
> 
> (First part, in italics, is from the book "The Burning Page," on page 203. You're welcome).

_Fortunately, the empress wasn't in the mood for a long speech. After a few firmly delivered statements about the unity of her empire, the loyalty of her subjects, and her maternal love for said subjects, she resumed her seat. Everyone promptly rose to their feet, conversation broke out like wildfire, and the small orchestra in the corner of the room started playing._

_"Irene..." Kai said hopefully._

Immediately, Irene understood what he was asking her, even if he wasn't explicitly saying it. He wanted a dance. And, as much as she wanted to say no-- she had a job to do, a book to retrieve for the Library-- perhaps she could allow herself to do this one small thing. She was allowed to have fun every now and again, right?

Besides, it wouldn't be a terribly bad experience, dancing with Kai. And it wouldn't hurt to try to blend in just a little more.

"Of course," she agreed with a demure smile as she took Kai's hand, "it would be nice, taking my mind off things, if even for a little bit."

 _But don't expect me to give you my full attention,_ she thought to herself,  _we are still on a mission here after all._

Kai led her onto the dance floor and, placing his other hand on Irene's waist, he began the dance. His movements were smooth, as fluid and graceful as the water that he controlled. Irene found herself swept up in the moment of it all-- how long had it been since she'd permitted herself time for fun?-- even when it was just beginning. For the first time in ages, she was fitting in with everyone, and not just in actions and, to a degree, looks. No, she was actually  _enjoying_ herself,and knew that she wasn't the only one who could feel the pure joy of the moment.

Kai pulled Irene into a fast-paced spin, and she let out a laugh in spite of herself, giving in to the thrill. It was one of those rare feelings, especially for a Librarian: the pure joy of just _having fun_ , which started as a small tingle inside the pit of her stomach, and then growing into full-on exhilaration.

"You're fairly good at this," Kai commented, "not as good as me, naturally--"

"Naturally," Irene agreed dryly.

"But you're still an adequate contender."

"'An adequate contender'?" Irene repeated, amusement dancing in her eyes, "I'll have you know that I have taken lessons in seventeen types of slow dance  _alone_ in  _at least_ three separate worlds. I even spent an entire mission impersonating a world-class dancer. And every part of that mission was successful. So I don't know who you're calling an amateur."

Kai snorted. "Irene, I'm not calling you an amateur. I wouldn't dare! But I  _am_ saying that you hardly hold a candle to the skills taught to me in my uncle's court."

"Well, obviously not," Irene agreed, rolling her eyes, "not all of us were raised in the courts of a dragon king like you were."

Kai grinned, pulling Irene a little closer to them as they continued to move along with the music. She allowed herself a smile, fully allowing herself to be immersed in the idea of  _fun_. The fact that she was  _having_ it.

And perhaps she was letting herself get too carried away, but... The threats to the Library, the urgency with which she needed to find this book... It all seemed to be thousands of miles away, problems for another time and place. It was just her, Kai, and the music. That was all that mattered.

The back of Irene's neck tingled, all the hair suddenly standing on end. She shot what she hoped was an inconspicuous glance over her shoulder and frowned. Kai caught the slight change of demeanor and frowned, too.

"What is it, Irene?"

"Alberich."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was SO proud of this, and then it kinda sorta really fell short. So I apologize. But still, the self-indulgent author in me is still pretty proud.


	5. Peace - Comfort, part two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The morning after "Comfort."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, "Comfort" takes place anytime between "The Burning Page" and "The Lost Plot."
> 
> (This was requested by CharnaBelle).
> 
> Also, if you didn't read the notes at the beginning, I don't write dirty. One of my main mottos is "if I shouldn't be reading it, I shouldn't be writing it." And thus... Morningtime fluff. With some awkwardness. (I was just about to say "classic Kai" in reference to myself, but... Well, it's kind of tough having your pen name be the same name as a character you're writing about).
> 
> *This one kind of fell flat. I apologize.*

Irene was unused to waking up in such close proximity to another person, let alone someone of the opposite gender. So waking up next to Kai wasn't exactly part of her everyday norm. Which was understandable. (What she couldn't exactly figure out, though, was why it didn't take terribly long for her to get used to the feeling of laying beside the young dragon prince).

Warmth surrounded Irene, both from the thick quilt she was laying under and the heat that was emanating from the man she was laying beside. She could feel his arm where he had draped it over her waist in a casual yet firm manner, and she could feel the warmth of his bare chest even though she had worn a thick nightgown and had been as careful as she could be about not getting terribly close to Kai. This was something she was allowing only because of the fact that they both needed sleep, and, as Kai had mentioned, it seemed to work out in books.

It was a matter of  _comfort_ , not pleasure.

As for how physically close she was to Kai, Irene felt an accomplished sense of relief when she mentally measured a good half foot between them. (Though, admittedly, that amount of space might have seemed to be a little  _too_ much to some people. But, Irene had to remind herself, it was all for the better).

Kai's grip on her tightened a little, pulling her closer to him. Now, her head was right next to his chest, and the rest of her body was closer than she'd have liked... If she wasn't too tired and comfortable to let her common sense take over, that is. Instead, Irene allowed herself to snuggle up against Kai, mainly just to soak in the warmth of him.

Again, all this was for comfort, and Irene couldn't think of anything more comfortable than this... Well, give or take a nice evening in, complete with a book and a cup of tea or coffee. But now, for the first time what seemed like  _ages_ , she actually felt well-rested. Very much so.

Rest and comfort. Two things that had already been hard to come across in the first place-- being a Librarian, especially one constantly out in the field-- was never an easy job-- and, ever since she'd met Kai, ever since their first adventure in Vale's London... Every moment of downtime she'd gotten was spent wondering what her next big adventure would be. Even on probation, she had found that she was constantly on the go.

 _There is no rest for the wicked,_ Irene reflected bitterly,  _nor for Librarians, apparently._

But for now, Irene would take what she could get.

"Irene..."

Kai's early-morning 'sleepy voice' was low and husky-- even more so than his voice usually was, if that was even possible.

She didn't dare open her eyes-- and even if she did, she suspected she'd hardly be able to see that much, considering the fact that her head was nestled under his chin. But she could easily envision the scene: the early-morning sunlight streaming into the small second-floor bedroom, illuminating both herself and Kai. (Irene could feel the light touch of the sun on her back, which led her to assure that Kai's facial features were very well displayed in the hazy sunlight). She could almost imagine Kai's handsome face in the dim lighting, his usually immaculate hair framing his face in wild curls, as it so often did whenever he sulked around their lodgings some mornings (something which happened almost way too often for Irene to even hope to be joking about such things).

Irene could almso imagine how she probably looked: her bedhead was notoriously hideous, and she had been made aware-- during previous missions; thanks to Bradamant, of course-- that she drooled. And, knowing that it was fairly cool outside at the moment, she sensed that she probably had snot smattered across her face in the least flattering way possible. (There were times where she and Kai had to crash at Vale's place. Irene tended to end up on the couch; Vale often teased her each morning about things like this. It made Irene feel rather self-conscious).

But, still, she was amazed at the fact that such perfection and such...

Well, whatever she was, she couldn't believe that it existed alongside Kai's apparent perfection.

How could that be? How could they exist alongside each other; how could it be that Kai still cared for her, even despite her obvious flaws?

Whatever the reason, Irene decided with a small smile, it hardly mattered. Kai cared for her, some way or other... No matter how she acted and thought, or how she looked. And perhaps that was all that mattered.

"Morning, Kai."

Kai grunted a little as he slightly readjusted himself, moving his arm once again to hold Irene more securely and shifting his body a little so that, if he so chose, he could've easily propped himself up on one elbow instead of just awkwardly laying on his side and hoping the balance would hold.

"Letsstayhere," he slurred-- even his tired slur seemed perfect, Irene noted bitterly-- sleepily before shifting into a more regular (but still tired-sounding) speech pattern, "let's just stay here. For as long as we can. Just... Forget about everything else."

Irene could sense the hope in his voice-- he wasn't getting  _exactly_ what he wanted, but, she supposed, he was still getting  _something_ \-- and felt a pang of regret. She would have to reject that suggestion almost immediately, and for so many reasons... But that didn't mean that she wanted to squash his hopes over it. She, too, wished to remain there with him for as long as they could.

But no. The Library had to remain neutral-- though the guidebook never explicitly stated it, she had to assume that sharing a bed, even for comfort instead of pleasure, would be seen as taking sides in some dragon-Fae political competition-- and besides, she was his superior. It just wouldn't be  _right_. And, to add on to  _that_ , their friend Vale was expecting them. (Some case about... Irene couldn't even remember what, to be honest).

"No," Irene replied, voice firmer than she had expected it to be first thing in the morning, "there are places you and I need to be, and we both know that Vale wouldn't appreciate us being late."

Kai groaned. "He does hate waiting around."

"Precisely. We wouldn't want to keep him waiting; especially not after all he's done for us and the Library."

But still, neither of them made a move to remove themselves from the warmth of the bed, or each other. Perhaps it was the more human parts of both of them--  _that sounds stupid,_ Irene chided herself,  _considering that you are human while he isn't human at all_\-- that kept them from making the move to venture into the chill of the bedroom and go get dressed and ready for the day. Perhaps she and Kai just needed an extra minute or two together, simply for the comfort of knowing that they were there... That they'd always be there for each other, for as long as circumstances allowed.

"Irene?"

Irene slightly opened her eyes-- an old habit of hers, intended to help her slowly adjust to the level of light in the room soon after waking up-- and studied him. She had been correct about nearly everything, give or take the fact that Kai's dark eyes were wide open and he was staring at her intently.

"Mmm?" she replied, the sound more of a noncommital hum than a proper response.

Kai chuckled a little. "Did you sleep well last night?"

Irene had to appreciate his logic for a moment: instead of dwelling on the things he was no doubt thinking of-- which definitely included staying there for the rest of the day as he had just suggested, or trying to get the situation to go in favor of the things he had begun to suggest within the first week of knowing Irene-- he had decided it might please her more if he focused more on the reason as to why she had agreed to share a bed with him in the first place. And that was something that Irene could work with.

"I slept just fine, thank you very much," she replied, keeping her voice light, "no nightmares to speak of. How about you?"

Kai pretended to contemplate what his answer would be, then shrugged. "I'd say I got at the very least a decent night's sleep."

Irene quirked an inquisitive eyebrow. "Oh?"

"Yeah. It wasn't as deep a sleep as I'm used to, but it was sleep nonetheless."

Irene suppressed a bitter laugh. Kai slept like a rock-- or, rather, a  _Strong_ rock-- and, yes, sleep  _was_ sleep. But, Kai being Kai, lighter sleep than normal just wasn't good enough.

Were all dragon princes as much of a pain as he could be? She hoped for her sake-- as well as for the sake of other people, but mainly for herself-- that Kai was just an exception. (She gathered that, since Kai was more of a free agent among dragon nobility, he was probably  _less_ of a pain than some of his brothers and cousins... And she wasn't necessarily thrilled to figure out if she was right or not).

"So the issue is settled, then?" Irene asked quietly, a slight smile tugging at the corners of her lips, "it  _does_ work like in those books of yours?"

Kai chuckled again. "I suppose so. And while I'd like to continue this conversation, you're correct: Vale is probably either sitting around, impatiently waiting for us, or he's marching through the streets of London in order to give us the rude awakening we probably deserve."

Irene did laugh at that. "You bring a fair point. Okay. Let's get up and ready for the day, then."


	6. Gabriel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gabriel Alabaster Strongrock-Winters was hardly a week old when he first met his father...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been meaning to write about Gabe for about as long as this book has existed. It's kind of fun to write about OCs, especially when that OC is a kiddo... Yeah.
> 
> This will probably be the first of quite a few one-shots starring little Gabe. I really enjoy getting to 'play with him,' and I'm excited to see him grow up... I sound like a proud parent. And, technically, I am. XD
> 
> This can literally be set anywhere after "The Mortal Word." It might hint at canon anywhere in the series leading up to "The Mortal Word."

Irene closed her book, looking down at Gabriel. His small hands were clenched in little fists beside his face, and he looked extremely comfortable.

It had nearly been a week since he ('he' being, in full, Gabriel Alabaster Strongrock-Winters) had been born-- though, in all honesty, it simultaneously felt like it had been a much longer  _and_ much shorter time since then-- and, while he had never actually met Kai, Gabe, as far as Irene could tell, was very much like his father: he had the same blue coloration, and he had similar facial expressions and temperaments.

And Kai didn't even  _know_.He wasn't even aware that Gabe  _existed_... And Irene was unsure of when she'd see Kai again.

There was a sharp knock at the door, one Irene immediately recognized as Vale's. "Winters! Open up!"

Irene had to check on Gabriel, making sure that he wouldn't freak out due to the sudden noise. When she finally decided that they were good to go on that front, she stood up in order to get the door for her friend.

Vale hardly wasted a moment. As soon as Irene opened the door for him, he swept inside, removing his boots, hat, and coat, leaving them all on or by the hat stand before marching right inside and promptly taking a seat on the couch next to Gabe's cradle.

"May I, Winters?"

Vale was looking from Irene to Gabe, the full question spelled out in his eyes:  _may I hold him?_

Irene gave a nod in his direction before quickly busying herself with some basic cleaning around the room. "What brings you this way, Vale?"

Of course, Vale didn't  _need_ a reason to stop by her place, and they both knew that. She and Vale had done plenty of visiting back and forth over the years, and especially more so over the past few months, but, for whatever reason, they both always kept up the formalities, even if only for a few minutes.

The Great Detective of this London had been there for her from the very beginning-- granted, he had been wary of her when they first met, but they had grown closer as friends over the years-- and had been a major blessing when Irene was expecting Gabe. (And, Irene noted, Vale seemed to be extremely fond of little Gabriel, which was pretty nice on several fronts).

"Ah, yes," Vale sighed, focusing his attention on Irene, " _that_ matter of business."

Irene froze where she was, quirking an eyebrow. "There's actually something that's going on? You're not just here to visit?"

"Don't worry, Winters," Vale assured her, "your assistance isn't needed for a case of anything... Dangerous. But, yes, to an extent there is something going on, but it's a bit more... Personal in nature."

"Personal?"

By now, Vale had Irene's full attention. She placed the pile of books she had been holding on the small table in front of the couch, taking a seat in the chair opposite Vale's. She leaned in closer, her curiosity piqued.

"Indeed, Winters. I just received word from Strongrock--"

"You've heard from Kai?"

"Yes," Vale snapped, tired of being interrupted, "now, please let me continue."

Irene wanted to continue on that train of thought alone-- why had Kai written to Vale instead of her?-- but she allowed herself to relax back against the chair and nod.

"I received word from Strongrock only last night, far too late for it to be sensible to come over here and discuss it with you," Vale began again, returning his attention to a (now) wide-awake (but still tired-looking) Gabe, "it was fairly similar to all of the other letters he's written in the past, except..."

Gabe began to wriggle around-- only a little bit, but enough to divert Vale's attention from what he had been saying. He quickly readjusted the infant in his arms, murmuring some sort of nonsense as he did so. As much as Irene enjoyed watching Vale interacting with her son, though, she was feeling terribly uninformed at the moment.

"And?" she prompted.

His sharp inhale sounded almost exactly like one of Kai's hisses. "I was just getting to that, Winters. Strongrock said that he was planning on returning here. And really rather soon, in fact."

Kai.

Kai was coming back.

"When?"

Almost as if on cue, there was yet another knock at the door to the lodgings. Vale shot a quick glance at Irene.

"I believe  _that_ would be him."

Returning his attention yet again to Gabe-- Irene couldn't fault Vale for trying to get in all the time he possibly could with Gabe; both he and Irene knew that, once Kai saw his son, it would be fairly difficult to get the small infant back from him-- Vale gave an explicit, yet unspoken order:  _go and get the door, Winters._

Irene considered using the Language to unlock and open the door, just to spite Vale. But (a) she couldn't actually be certain just  _who_ was on the other side of the door, (b) while it wasn't terribly hard to invoke the Language in this alternate, she was far too tired to try it now, and (c) she didn't want to raise her voice so that it carried from where she sat to the door. It would only disturb Gabe, and she knew that disrupting his sleep-like stupor would end horribly. (Being as young as he was, Gabe wasn't  _terribly_ connected to water, not as much as Kai was, but he  _had_ previously doused some rather important papers with water from the washbasin; Irene didn't need a repeat of  _that_ disaster).

Irene stood up with a defeated sigh, slowly making her way over to the door. She opened it and, as Vale had predicted, there stood Kai.

"Irene," he said, his voice soft and quiet, "hey."

She already had her arms around his neck, raising herself slightly on her toes in order to kiss him. He returned the kiss, wrapping his arms around her and holding her closer to him. Irene smiled to herself, noting how  _good_ , how natural it felt to be in his arms once again. The moment could've lasted forever...

Except it didn't.

"Strongrock!" Vale called jovially, "welcome back."

Kai separated from the kiss, shooting a wistful glance in Irene's direction before entering the lodgings... And freezing as-- Irene assumed, at least-- his gaze fell on little Gabriel in Vale's arms.

"Irene?" Kai asked tentatively, not even bothering to look away from Gabe, "what's going on here?"

Irene took a deep breath in, folding her hands in front of her in an attempt to look better-prepared for this very moment.

She wasn't. Not one bit.

"Kai... Meet Gabriel Alabaster Strongrock-Winters," she began, trying to swallow those pointless nerves of hers, "our... Our son."

Silence filled the room as Kai began to process what he had just been told. He clenched and unclenched his hands into fists, clear proof that he was suppressing several urges at once, including but not limited to physically lashing out at something or some _one._ But still, he managed to keep himself looking fairly calm and collected.

"Kai?"

At the same moment, Vale asked, "Strongrock? Are you okay?"

Kai nodded numbly, taking a seat in his favorite armchair. Apparently, this was  _not_ how he had imagined his homecoming... And the way he was currently taking it kind of scared Irene.

Perhaps he felt that it was a dubious circumstance, and he had every right to think so. He went away for a few months, only to come back and find Irene and a baby... What  _didn't_ sound doubtful about  _that_?

"Kai,  **I swear to you that this boy is our son,"** Irene said softly, using the Language to try and prove her point,  **"he is of my flesh and blood... And yours."**

Kai's expression softened a little. It was amazing, the things that the Language could do. Though it  _did_ sting that he didn't believe her until she used it.

Vale glanced at his watch and paled. "Winters, Strongrock, my deepest apologies. But I really must get going."

"Where are you off to?" Kai asked, curiosity getting the better of him.

Irene recognized the fact that Vale was bluffing-- whether it was because he felt awkward and incompetent now that Kai was there, or because he was feeling generous enough to give the small family some time together, she didn't know-- and leaned forward, too, wanting to hear every detail of a story spun by Vale.

"I've got a meeting to attend to," Vale replied, keeping his attention on Gabe-- _s_ _mart move,_ Irene noted,  _you can't break eye contact when your attention's already focused on the baby--_ as he spoke, "with Inspector Singh. Liechtenstein's at large... Again."

Irene bit back a laugh. In all the time that she'd been in this London, Liechtenstein had hardly been a terrible problem. In fact, the only major problems she could recall with Liechtenstein were her first book heist here in B-395 and Lord Silver himself.

Kai apparently picked up on that, too-- and, knowing Vale,  _he_ probably knew how terrible his excuse had been, too-- because he furrowed his eyebrows and looked to be deep in thought. But both Irene and Kai didn't call his bluff. Instead, they simply nodded, permitting Vale to go on his way. The detective stood, easily depositing Gabriel into Kai's arms before anything else could be said, then making his way to the door.

"It was a pleasure seeing you today," he announced, "all three of you. But for now, I must bid you adieu."

Irene nodded. "We'll see you later, Vale."

With that, Vale left the lodgings, heading more in the direction of his home than some potential rendezvous point.

Irene turned to look at Kai and was pleased to see that he was gazing at Gabe rapturously. It took a surprisingly short time for him to grow even slightly attached to Gabriel, and it warmed Irene's heart. She had never seen such a tender expression on Kai's face before, and she seriously wished that she could capture this moment and live in it forever.

But she couldn't.

 _Perhaps that's part of what life is,_ she pondered,  _perhaps it's about living in the now, and taking what you can get when you can get it._

And she was planning to live in this moment for as long as she could.

* * *

Kai gazed down at his son, smiling a little. This was his  _son_... His little boy.

Irene definitely hadn't been lying about the kid's paternity. He could sense Gabriel's power, even at less than a week old. And, yes, there was clearly a slight blue coloration to him.

He had Irene's dark brown hair, with hints of Kai's own dark blue. But aside from the hair, most of Gabe's looks came from Kai.

Kai wished--  _oh, how he wished!_ \-- that he had known. He wished that he had known that Irene was pregnant in the first place, that he knew that Gabe existed even before he had returned to Vale's London.

He wished that he could've been there for her... For  _them._

But wishes and dreams didn't always come true, even if you  _were_ a dragon prince.

 _"What matters is that you're here now,"_ Irene had said earlier,  _"even if it's only for a short time; as long as you know about Gabe now... He is family... Ours."_

Kai had always been a family-oriented man, even if it meant taking sides with his father instead of Irene. Irene was correct... She and Gabe were his family now. Things were about to change... Hopefully for the better.

Looking at his small son, Kai felt something that he hadn't genuinely felt in what seemed like  _ages_ : he felt hope. The hope that, perhaps, he and Irene could settle down. That maybe Gabe was the key to possibly having a happy ending, one he got to spend with Irene. Of course, they'd still have obligations-- the Library was a life-long commitment, and being born a dragon didn't always come in handy-- but still... There was a chance that they could live a relatively normal life together, raising Gabriel like any ordinary parents would go about raising an ordinary child.

 _That could never work,_ the part of his mind that exhibited common sense reminded him,  _you're a dragon. She's a Librarian. Not only is she supposed to remain neutral; she was never even meant to have Gabe in the first place..._

"Damn it," he muttered, studying Gabriel once again.

How stupid could he have been?

Gabe wasn't supposed to even  _exist_ , let alone... Let alone anything. And just  _how_ much trouble would he and Irene be in if anyone else found out?

Gabe opened his eyes, gazing sleepily up at his father. Kai couldn't help it; he smiled a little, a sudden overwhelming pride coming over him. He couldn't explain it, even if he tried. But, yes, there was definitely something about the way that Gabe looked at him that made Kai want nothing more than to hold on to him forever, and to give him nothing but the best.

 _His_ best.

"Kai?"

Irene had entered the room so quietly, he had been completely unaware that she was even there. But-- thankfully-- he didn't startle too much. (Irene probably would've had a fit if he  _had_ startled, reprimanding him for jumping-- even slightly-- while holding Gabe in his arms).

"Irene."

Kai couldn't think of much else to say. Something such as "I missed you" would've normally sufficed, but now it seemed to be something rather ingenuine and uncaring. And to speak of Gabe and Gabe alone might give Irene the wrong idea... That he only cared for his son and not her.

Thankfully, none of that seemed to matter. Not to Irene, at least. She made her way across the room to where he was sitting and took a seat next to him, curling her legs up underneath her and leaning her head on his shoulder. Gabe's eyes lit up-- Kai knew that he probably couldn't see in full detail yet, being as young as he was; but perhaps he could sense something about Irene's presence-- and he smiled a little.

"I meant to tell you about him earlier," Irene murmured, "I didn't want to keep you in the dark. But... I didn't know where you were. I'm not like you; I can't focus on one person and suddenly locate them."

Kai allowed himself a chuckle, wrapping one arm around Irene. "It  _is_ kind of my specialty."

"Do you think... Do you think that Gabe will get that talent, too?" Irene whispered suddenly, "we've already had a few 'controlling-water' incidents--"

"Ooh," Kai winced, "that sucks."

"That's one way of putting it," Irene agreed, "but... How much do you think he's inherited from your side?"

"As much as I would love to give you an answer, Irene, there isn't any way to know that sort of thing. There's just no telling just how much he'll pick up from either of us."

"Great," she muttered, "so I've got  _that_ to worry about now."

Kai brushed a light kiss to her forehead. " _We_ do."

Irene smiled a little, moving closer to Kai. She wasn't the only one who wanted that sort of future for her son, a future where both of his parents were present-- or as present as they  _could_ be, at least-- and they could all be a whole family...

Of course, she wasn't discounting the other obligations that she and Kai held. But it wasn't impossible... She hoped.

"So... Gabriel Alabaster Strongrock-Winters."

The way Kai said it, Irene could tell that it was a question disguised as a statement. But exactly which question he was asking, she had no clue.

So she decided to start from the beginning. "Not even three days after you left, I found out about him. I didn't exactly know what to think or feel about  _that_ discovery, but... You can easily see my decisions," she gestured to Gabe, "I gave him my all over the past few months-- and Vale helped, too-- and then... Five days ago now, there he was."

"There he was," Kai murmured, intently studying his son's tiny face, the small details that somehow imitated Kai's own yet followed a blueprint of their very own as well, "why do I feel that it wasn't as simple as you are suggesting that it was?"

Irene frowned, clearly unwilling to speak much on the subject. "Because it wasn't. Not one bit."

Kai winced again. "Ooh..."

Gabe coughed suddenly, repositioning himself in Kai's arms in order to become more comfortable. Irene had to suppress a laugh. It was almost as if Gabe was admitting that he'd been giving Irene at least a  _little_ hell, and he wasn't ashamed of doing so.

Irene decided to follow her son's lead, readjusting herself so that she was snuggled closely against Kai. She was tired; she'd had quite a long day, and the sun was setting. It was time for her to get some well-deserved rest. Besides, Kai was there to watch after Gabe now. She didn't have to worry.

**"I love you."**

Kai smiled down at her, leaning to press another light kiss to her forehead. "I love you, too, Irene."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was long... Jeepers. And it was my first time writing Vale. So, I do apologize if any of the characters are out of character, but especially Vale.
> 
> I'm super-excited to get to delve more into Gabe's story with you guys-- though, for whatever reason, I'm the most excited to get to see Vale's interactions with Gabe-- and... Yeah. #UncleVale


	7. Sick Day - part one

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Kai catches a cold, Irene is forced to hold down the fort and take care of him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Set between "The Invisible Library" and "The Masked City."
> 
> This one's because I realized that, in all of my fics, I have never done a 'Sick Fic.' So... Why not bestow upon Kai the common dragon cold?

There was a loud sneeze from the room next door, startling Irene awake. She wasn't terribly fond of being woken up by sudden sounds, and earth-shaking dragon sneezes was high on the list of sounds that she most  _didn't_ want to wake up to.

Irene groaned, taking her pillow and pulling it over her head in an attempt to muffle any further noise. But it was all for naught, seeing as Kai sneezed yet again.

"Kai!" she called, her voice half firm, half tired and irritated, "my gods!"

There was a miserable-sounding groan from Kai's room, and there was the sound of the bed creaking and Kai stepping on the floor.

Great. Now she had a sick dragon out and about, early in the morning. And, knowing Kai, she knew that he'd definitely be stopping by her room sooner or later. Likely, he'd be stopping by to complain.

This was absolutely  _great_.

And, just as Irene had predicted, there was a knock at her bedroom door only a moment later.

"Irene?"

Irene forced herself to get out of bed and pull on a dressing-gown before heading to open the door. "Morning, Kai."

Kai looked absolutely miserable, even more so than his voice suggested. There were dark bags under his eyes, and his skin somehow looked even more pale than it usually was. He was even slightly slouched over, forgoing all notions of grace and poise. Basically, he looked just how Irene had always imagined a zombie would appear.

"Irene..." he moaned, "I... I think I'm sick."

* * *

Irene smoothed some of Kai's hair back from his forehead, checking his temperature. Damn. He was burning up.

This was great, just  _great_.

Of all the crap luck. Of course he had gotten sick, and today of all days. Vale needed their help sorting through some papers for Singh down at the Yard, and Irene would've liked to check into the Library quickly, see if Coppelia had anything for her. And who knew what other duties could call.

Kai's breath was deep and steady, and his eyes were closed. Good. Rest was helpful. It would help Kai recover quicker. Perhaps Kai resting was all that Irene needed in order to properly  _work_ today.

Oh, how she hated this. She hated having to be his caretaker-- mentor, she was okay with, superior was just fine, but  _caretaker_ was kind of pushing it-- and nurse. This was  _not_ what she had signed up for, though she'd technically never even signed up for  _Kai_ in the first place.

But Irene wasn't  _complaining_ about having been stuck with Kai. As a matter of fact, she rather  _enjoyed_ his company. But it still kind of sucked that he was sick.

Irene sighed, taking a towel and dampening it using water from the washbasin and laying it on his forehead, in hopes that it would perhaps help cool him down, even just a little. Kai's eyes didn't open, but his lips parted slightly as he moaned in slight relief. Though, Irene supposed, any relief was good relief. She didn't exactly know how it felt to be running a fever as a dragon, but if it was anything like human fevers, then she definitely held at least  _some_ sympathy for Kai at the moment.

Though it  _was_ pretty tough to have complete and utter sympathy for someone who was definitely  _going about and ruining your carefully-laid plans for the day._

"Hang in there, Kai," she murmured, squeezing his hand, "there are some things I have to do today, but I'll make sure to stop by Vale's place when I'm in the Library, have him or someone else stop by to check in on you."

Kai shook his head a little, quickly reaching to grasp her hand in his. "Ngh. No. Irene..."

Irene sighed, reaching to pry her hand from his. "Kai, this is kind of important. Just because you're sick, doesn't mean that I can just drop everything to be at your side twenty-four seven."

"Irene, no," he muttered, reaching out again and clasping her wrist tightly, "stay. Please."

Irene sighed, trying to yank her wrist from his grasp. The more she struggled, the tighter his grasp got.  _How peculiar_ , she noted bitterly,  _he can keep consistent strength, even while he's sick._

The idea fascinated her, and she filed it away with a great deal of other questions to ask Kai about dragonhood. But for now, she had a sick dragon prince to attend to... And to somehow escape from.

"Listen, Kai," she said sharply, "Vale needed our assistance today; I can tell him you're sick. But you need to let me go."

"Vale can wait," Kai moaned, sounding more impatient by the second, "the Library can wait. London itself can probably wait. But me? I don't think that I can wait."

"You're going to have to learn how to be patient, then," Irene snapped, "learn to wait for  _once_ , Kai. Now, I've got to go. I should be back sometime within the next few hours."

Kai pouted before letting out another earth-shattering sneeze. Irene cringed, as was natural instinct when exposed to such a loud noise. Now, too bad this alternate had not developed any modern medicines... Or even just Kleenex. Perhaps the Library would be willing to make an exception to the general rule of not introducing scientific advances to an alternate... One was allowed to hope, right?

"Fine," she caved, "just allow me a few minutes; I need to get everything pulled together for the day."

Damn it. She had to be more careful with Kai; he could seriously sell anything, even if he wasn't trying. (Well, okay, he  _was_ trying. But that was a genuine sneeze).

Irene squeezed his hand once more and stood, heading to get all the supplies she could possibly need to work  _and_  take care of Kai.

_This is going to be a long day._

* * *

"Winters!" Vale's voice called, each syllable accentuated with a loud knock at the door to the lodgings, "Strongrock!"

Irene looked up from the papers in front of her-- an attempt at writing an information pamphlet for any other Librarians wishing to visit (or, of course, on assignment to) this alternate-- and sighed in frustration. Today was already horrible enough, and adding whatever Vale needed to the ever-growing list of things that needed to be done... Well, that didn't exactly help.

Irene quickly shot a glance at Kai, making sure that he was still asleep, and then stood to get the door for Vale.

"Winters!" Vale exclaimed, "where have you been all day?"

Irene put a finger to her lips before whispering, "Kai's had a bit of a rough day."

Vale quirked an eyebrow, peering over her shoulder at the lump on the couch that was Kai. "Is Strongrock... Alright?"

"He's ill," Irene explained, "earth-shaking sneezes and all."

Vale's other eyebrow shot up, though this time, he seemed more curious than anything else. "Earth-shaking, you say?"

"I meant that figuratively," Irene hurried to explain herself, "at least, I think."

"Oh."

"Now, tell me," Irene said, taking a seat as she quickly changed the subject, "what brings you here?"

"Winters, I do believe that you promised to help me today," Vale replied crisply, "so when you and Strongrock didn't show-- and didn't bother notifying me of his illness-- I decided it would be best if I stopped by to check and see what could possibly be keeping you."

Irene glanced at what he was holding in his hands: a briefcase. "I see you brought some work along with you. Would you care to come in?"

"Yes, Winters," Vale agreed, "thank you."

He entered, immediately placing his briefcase on the coffee table in the center of the room and opening it, hardly bothering to look around.

"I see that you and Strongrock have settled into your new lodgings."

Irene nodded. "Indeed, we have. Thank you for helping us find this place."

Vale nodded firmly, almost in a  _'No need to thank me; I knew perfectly well what I was doing'_ sort of manner. Irene peered at him but didn't say anything further on the matter.

"What exactly do we have here?" she asked instead, directing her attention to the briefcase, "the papers from Inspector Singh?"

Vale shot a glare at her. "Yes, Winters, these are the papers from Inspector Singh. Despite Strongrock's... Incapacitation, I do hope that at least  _you_ can help me with the sorting."

Irene shot a glance down at Kai. He was still fast asleep. Good.

"Of course."

* * *

"No, no!" Vale nearly shouted, "Winters! This paper clearly belongs in  _that_ pile! Get your head straight!"

Kai groaned a little, dramatically flinging his arm out. "Ngh... Irene. Vale?"

Irene shot a harsh glare in Vale's direction before making her way to Kai's couch. "Yeah, we're here. Both Vale and I."

"I feel like I'm burning up."

Irene nodded, grabbing the cloth to dampen in the washbasin once again.

"Did you sleep alright, Strongrock?"

Kai didn't respond, though his face screwed up in the almost-universal  _'Hold up; I'm about to sneeze'_ expression.

Irene glanced over at Vale, trying to convey with her eyes  _'Prepare yourself; it's going to be loud and not pretty.' _But he didn't look up... At least, not in time. When Kai sneezed, Vale very nearly jumped out of his seat.

"By god!"

Irene bit back a laugh. "I  _did_ warn you, Vale... Earth-shaking."

Vale shook his head. "I suppose so. Strongrock, are you alright?"

"Ngh..." Kai's voice was a miserable groan yet again, "let me see...  _No_."

Irene hurried back to the couch, pressing the cloth to his forehead. He visibly relaxed-- just slightly, but he relaxed nonetheless-- under the touch.

"Thanks, Irene," he said, "urgh. I feel like hell right now."

While Vale flinched at the profanity, Irene simply rolled her eyes, tired of Kai's dramatics. If she didn't know better, she'd have thought that he'd either been hanging out with Lord Silver or that he was Fae himself. (Fortunately for her, she  _did_ know better; thankfully, neither of these were true). But still, Kai's diva/damsel-in-distress act was kind of getting tiring.

She'd grant him the fact that he  _was_ sick, and perhaps she'd even grant him that dragon colds were worse than human colds. But the dramatics were going too far.

"Kai," Irene chided him, "could you quit it?"

Kai glared at her, and when he spoke, sarcasm dripped from every word. "Sorry, Irene. It's not like I can help how I feel."

Irene clenched her hand into a fist, wishing that he would just  _listen_ to what she asked of him. Or at least turn on a filter of some sort. Just because he  _felt_ something, didn't mean he had any right to say it. Nobody just announces that they have indigestion, for instance.

Except, well, Kai. He  _was_ prone to stating the blatantly obvious, after all.

But perhaps it was time for Irene to simply cut her losses... For the moment, at least. Irene wasn't about to let Kai get away with this attitude, but it wasn't right to chastise him, not when he was sick. Maybe later, when he was feeling better. A  _lot_ better.

But for now...

"Are you feeling any better than you were earlier, Kai?"

He seemed to contemplate his response before shaking his head. "Not really, no."

Irene laughed at the hesitation, somehow finding humor in the fact that Kai had to think on how he felt, even as compared to earlier that very same day. The way that both men looked at her-- each with one eyebrow quirked, eyes expressing serious, genuine concern for  _her_ well-being-- was enough to shut her up, though.

 _This is part of why you were trained to hide your emotions,_ she mentally chided herself,  _not everyone's going to understand the things you find funny._

Still, to have  _both_ Kai and Vale giving you that certain expression painted on both their faces, immediately jumping straight to judgment... It wasn't the response she'd expected.

"It is rather unfortunate that you fell ill, Strongrock," Vale said after a few moments of awkward silence, "and today of all days."

Kai shot a glance at the detective. "And why is that?"

"I possibly have a case to start on very soon," Vale explained, "and, no offense, Winters, but it sounds like it may be a two- _man_ job. I was hoping to enlist you, Strongrock, but seeing as you're not feeling entirely yourself..."

Kai looked extremely disappointed to be missing out on such an opportunity. Irene, on the other hand, wanted to slap some sense into her friend. What made Vale feel that he had the liberty to come inside and tell Kai what he was missing out on like that? Knowing Kai, Irene could already imagine how much tired complaining she was in for now... Kai  _loved_ helping Vale out with some cases. It was practically part of Kai's lifeblood nowadays, and Vale felt he had the right to casually let it slip that Kai was missing out on part of it.

"Vale, perhaps we should get back to Singh's paperwork?" Irene asked, shooting him a pointed glare, "and let Kai rest for a little while?"

"I'm not necessarily feeling tired at the moment, Irene," Kai interjected quickly.

" _Fine_. Kai, if you're feeling up to it, kindly help us with these papers."

Kai's face darkened slightly, but he nodded obediently, picking up the nearest stack of papers and beginning to sort through them. Vale and Irene soon followed suit, continuing with their previous patterns. No more words were exchanged-- and neither were looks, for that matter-- leaving the room looking more like a private section of some big business than the living room of someone's lodgings. All three of them were laser-focused on the work in front of them-- even with Kai's loud, obtrusive sneezes-- making it so they hardly noticed the loud knock on the the door in the midst of their work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note that, considering that the author has a fairly amazing immune system, she has only been full-on sick ONCE in the past six or more years, and thus may not have accurately represented any illness, including the common cold.
> 
> Also, bear in mind that there's more coming Irene's way on this draconic sick day... As soon as said author decides what else to bestow upon these wonderful fictional characters.


	8. "Irene" - February 13, 2019

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Irene Winters is a lot of things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was actually an assignment I had in Creative Writing last week. We were told to do an acrostic poem inspired by whoever or whatever we chose. And... This being the first time I could choose my inspiration, I decided to do an "Invisible Library"-themed poem.
> 
> If I do anything else inspired by this series in Creative Writing, I will post them here.

I - Irene is a Librarian, an adventuress  
R - Respects her superiors (for the most part)  
E - Enjoys crime fiction, like the Sherlock Holmes books  
N - Never would have guessed at the adventures she would have  
E - Every adventure, she has her friends

W - Who can be paranoid at times  
I - Independent, able to work on her own  
N - Never (or hardly ever) without her assistant, Kai  
T - Tends to have common sense  
E - Extremely determined to do what's right  
R - Resides in a version of London  
S - Steals books for the Library


	9. Footsteps - part one

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now that Gabe's eighteen, the big question on everyone's mind is... 'Whose footsteps will he follow in?'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Continuing with my "Gabriel" storyline. I will write more for Gabe... A lot more, probably. XD
> 
> Part one of who knows how many.

Gabriel had lived a comparatively simple life. Granted, his mother was a Librarian, everyone on his father's side was a dragon, and the man who was his honorary uncle happened to be a Great Detective who had a bit of Fae blood running in his veins. But who said that all families had to be 'normal'?

For eighteen years, Gabe had lived in London, or at least a version of it, with his parents and Vale-- though his mother, Irene, often went on missions for the Library and his father, Kai, occasionally had to serve in the court of  _some_ dragon king or other-- and, somehow, he managed. Yes, at times some high-chaos Fae activity would occur, causing a sudden (and often painful) headache to flare up, but if the stories were true, the tales of his father's ability to hold up in worlds where the chaos levels were significantly higher-- and even if Kai had been 'just barely' holding up, at least he was holding up at all-- then Gabe would do all that he possibly could to fight it off. But that didn't mean that he was anti-Fae or anything; quite the opposite, in fact. He was fairly middle-ground, though there  _were_ some people on both sides that he wasn't overly fond of.

But being who he was raised a lot of questions, and not just for the people who knew him outside of his family. What were the rules that applied to him, being half-dragon, half-human? Why was he being raised by both his mother and father-- and, to an extent, Vale-- instead of being raised in the courts of a dragon king by his father alone? And, the biggest question of them all: whose footsteps would he follow in?

That question had been the topic of many conversations that had started long ago, before Gabe could even speak his own mind. While his parents had been clear on their stance-- that Gabe had a mind of his own and plenty of time to decide, and they wouldn't try to sway him one way or another-- people on all sides seemed adamant about convincing him to follow either Irene or Kai.

And now that Gabriel was eighteen years old-- clearly old enough to make up his own mind, and old enough to strike out on his own if he so chose-- the pressure was clearly building up, enclosing Gabe on all sides and presenting itself as an unanswered question:  _What are you going to do with your life?_

And the answer was sadly obvious:  _I don't know._

"Have you any plans, Gabe?"

Gabe looked at Vale, unhappy with being interrupted from his thoughts. "I beg your pardon?"

"Have you any plans?" Vale repeated himself, sounding slightly impatient, "seeing as you are nearly finished with your schooling, it is only appropriate that you began to at least  _consider_ where you are going with your life."

Gabe set down the paperwork he had been helping Vale sort through, fixing the detective with a glare. "You know that I don't have any interest in making any such decisions; not at the moment, at least."

Vale returned Gabe's glare with one of his own. "Gabriel Alabaster Strongrock-Winters."

Gabe flinched at the sound of his full name, spoken sharply by his uncle. His full name... A name chosen for him by his mother-- though, if the stories were true, then both parts of his last name were completely his father's idea-- when he had been a newborn.

"Peregrine Vale."

His retort was weak, and he knew that. But, for whatever reason, it felt nicer to have a retort--  _any_ retort-- to use against his uncle.

"Surely you must realize, Gabriel," Vale began again, a questioning eyebrow raised, "that, while it  _is_ simpler to let go of all duty and responsibility, it is also extremely important that you decide what you do with your life. And sooner rather than later."

Gabe never enjoyed being reprimanded, especially not by his uncle. And on a topic that he generally tried to avoid... Vale was going to regret asking that question of him.

Of course, this was how things went when both of Gabe's parents were away at the same time: Gabe would be allowed to help Vale-- so long as he had finished his work for school beforehand, that is-- and, of course, his uncle would probe him with questions that he didn't want to hear. This always ended with Gabe being as excited as he possibly could be when his parents returned. And how he wished that they were there at that moment. Not that he was solely dependent on his mother and father-- he was perfectly capable of handling himself-- but... It wouldn't be too bad to have his parents there, backing him up.

"Mr. Vale," Vale's housekeeper interrupted their stare-down, "Mr. Strongrock and Miss Winters are here."

Gabe's head shot up. "Mom and Dad are back?"

Vale nodded to his housekeeper. "Well, show them up!"

"And they're with some of Gabriel's friends," she added quickly, "so you might want to go down yourself, young man."

Gabe got to his feet. "Got it. I'll send Mom and Dad up, Uncle Vale."

At Vale's nod, Gabe ran past the housekeeper and down the stairs. There were five people gathered in the main living room downstairs: his parents were standing next to the door, and three of his friends-- Connor, Miles, and Grace-- had made themselves at home on Vale's couch.

Gabe went over to his parents first, hugging his mother and bowing to his father. "Mom, Dad, welcome back. Uncle Vale's upstairs."

Kai nodded, taking off up the stairs without another word. Irene hung back for a moment, though, waiting until Kai was gone before addressing her son.

"I know you're eighteen," she began, "but I still have to ask: were you good for Vale?"

"Mom, you and Dad were gone for  _one day_ ," Gabe protested, "it's not like I was given the proper amount of time to push him over the edge or anything."

Irene gave him a disapproving glare, and he hurried to fix what he'd just said.

"Not that I'd ever do that normally," he amended, "but even if I  _did_ , I wouldn't have had the chance, given how quick you and Dad were."

Irene nodded firmly. "Good. You know that he doesn't like insubordination on any part."

Gabe nodded in agreement before studying his mother. She looked like she had hardly aged a day since he had last seen her-- and she only looked to be a few years older than she did many years ago, even before he had been born-- though, admittedly, the outfit added  _something_  to that.

 _The alternate she just came from must've been extremely modern,_ Gabe decided,  _nobody here would even dream of such an outfit._

Maybe the unnameable quality was some sort of youth that came with wearing proper attire for a time that had not yet come to pass.

Either way, Irene was in jeans and a dark purple tank-top, her dark brown hair pulled back in a sleek ponytail. On her feet, she wore sneakers that perfectly matched her tank-top. Gabe could easily envision what sort of world this outfit would belong in-- high-technology, low-magic, with little to no chaos infestation-- and he could easily imagine his mother blending in perfectly, another face in the crowds of people, half of whom would be too occupied with their devices to even pay attention to the strange new person in their midst.

"Now, if you'll excuse me," Irene murmured, "I should probably go see Vale before he or your father get impatient."

Gabe nodded. "Okay. I'll see you later, Mom."

Irene smiled, kissing his cheek-- Gabe hadn't taken terribly long in sprouting up to her superior height, forcing her to quickly give up on top-of-the-head or forehead kisses-- before heading up the stairs.

"I love you, Gabe."

"I love you too, Mom."

With that, Irene squared her shoulders and entered into Vale's private study.

"Do her outfits get more bizarre with time?" Miles asked, breaking the silence, "or is it just me?"

Connor blinked. "I was going to point out the fact that we've only seen her about five times in the past ten years, though she hardly looks like she's aged a  _day_."

Gabe frowned, joining the small circle his friends formed in Vale's living room. He didn't like it when the boys brought up his parents... When they brought them up like  _this_ , at least. Often, Connor and Miles had plenty of jabs to throw-- especially at Irene-- and they weren't afraid to do so, even in front of Gabe himself.

"And your father," Miles added to Gabe, "he doesn't look that much older, either. Has he really got everything in such  _order_ , to the extent that..."

Gabe growled, giving Miles his deadliest glare. Miles was Fae, and having a Fae poke fun at his father's heritage...

"Miles, stop it," Grace interrupted, "don't you see how much you're angering Gabe?"

Gabe smiled a little. Grace was the newest addition to their little group of friends, but definitely his favorite... By far. She was also Fae, though her main archetype was that of peace-keeper and caretaker. She was quiet for the most part, unless a disagreement of any sort came up. And then her voice was the loudest of them all.

Grace was a very beautiful young woman, though not in the flashy way that most Fae-- or even his mother's colleague Bradamant-- tended to take on. Her long, wavy hair was a chestnut brown, but her eyes were a piercing blue. There were freckles scattered across her nose that spread even further, decorating her upper cheekbones. Her skin was lightly tanned, and she was petite, not even five feet tall.

Miles shut his mouth, though his eyes were still glaring daggers at Gabe. Gabe shot a grateful glance in Grace's direction, but she didn't notice. Instead, she was simply nodding in satisfaction.

"Good," Grace said, "thank you, Miles."

"Why are you here?" Gabe asked suddenly, desperate to get to the point, "all three of you, that is."

Connor gave one of those smug smirks of his before replying, "We've been asked to help you decide."

"Decide?" Gabe asked, raising an eyebrow, "decide  _what_?"

"What you're going to do with your life from now on, of course."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, it's just so much fun to get to write Gabriel, and Vale's probably another favorite to write... Especially getting to type "Uncle Vale," for whatever reason.
> 
> There will be more to this later, because I just adore Gabe... :)
> 
> Also, I'm sorry about Kai in this one. I wrote a majority of this while listening to "Love Never Dies." And... I kind of wrote Kai as Lloyd Webber wrote Raoul, and Irene became Christine... Except it's not as dramatic. I hope. But, yeah, maybe I should find some instrumentals to listen to next time I sit down to write. XD


	10. Charlotte - Sick Day, part two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A Librarian comes, needing Irene's aid.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part two of three planned parts for "Sick Day." Part three will be up sometime soon.

_All three of them were laser-focused on the work in front of them-- even with Kai's loud, obtrusive sneezes-- making it so they hardly noticed the loud knock on the in the midst of their work._

The knock was unfamiliar-- if Vale was allowed to recognize people by the sound of how they walked, surely then Irene was permitted to recognize people for how they knocked on her door-- but urgent, causing Irene, Kai, and Vale to slightly jump.

"I'll get it," Irene muttered, setting down her papers and smoothing out her skirt before making her way to the door.

When she opened it, she saw a young woman-- who appeared to be seventeen or eighteen years old-- with wide, blue eyes, short, blonde hair, and glasses with a thick black frame. The woman's outfit wasn't terribly suitable for the alternate they were in-- a white blouse accompanied by a long, black-and-white skirt and platform heels-- leading Irene to the immediate assumption that this was a fellow Librarian.

"Are you Irene?" the woman asked, "the Librarian-in-Residence?"

Irene nodded, quickly ushering the woman inside. "I'm sorry for the mess-- and the men-- here. You kind of came at a rather hectic time for us. But allow me to assist you in whatever ways I possibly can."

"Don't you need me to introduce myself?"

Irene mentally facepalmed. "Of course; it'd be wonderful if you could do that."

"My name is Charlotte," the woman began, "and this is kind of my first time out in the field without a mentor."

"Charlotte?" Kai asked, raising an eyebrow, "did you name yourself after..."

"Charlotte Bronte?" Charlotte snorted, "of course not. I can't sit still long enough to watch a movie adaptation of her works, let alone  _read_ one of them!"

Vale looked about to ask what the heck a movie was, but Irene cut in, her own curiosity getting the best of her.

"But does it have any meaning, then?"

Charlotte pushed her glasses up her nose, somehow seeming simultaneously awkward and completely self-assured. "Of course it does. There's this book back home, a middle-grade novel I discovered back in sixth grade or so. First book of a series. One of the four or five main characters, Charlotte... Well, she really reminds me of myself."

Irene nodded in understanding. It wasn't terribly uncommon for Librarians to name themselves after book characters-- even she had done so herself, taking her name from Sherlock Holmes canon-- and it was also pretty common for a Librarian to name themselves after a character they related to or aspired to be like. And if that character came from a little-known, middle-grade novel, then so be it.

"As you already know, I'm Irene," Irene began her part of the introductions, "that's my assistant Kai-- he's ill at the moment-- and our friend Vale."

She deliberately left out the fact that her assistant happened to be a dragon and that their friend happened to be  _the_ Great Detective of this certain London. She knew that Coppelia was aware of these facts, but Irene was still a little paranoid that other Librarians might start making accusations, saying that Irene herself was taking sides, though  _which_ side they might accuse her of taking, she wasn't entirely sure.

Charlotte nodded at each man in turn before addressing Irene again. "I saw the damage just outside of the Traverse, in the British Library. Is that why you have to operate from  _this_ place?"

The young woman sounded somewhat disgusted, even more so than Kai had sounded when Irene happened to choose one of the most dubious hotels in all of London only a week or so ago, when their cover had nearly been blown. Irene didn't understand Charlotte's disgust-- it was a nice home!-- but decided not to dwell on it. Kai and Vale, however, caught the inflection as well and were currently glaring at the young Librarian.

"What brings you here, Charlotte?" Irene asked before either man could cut in with a sharp jab in the woman's direction, "or, rather, how exactly can I help you?"

Charlotte nodded, almost as if she had intended to return to the subject as soon as she possibly could, no prompting needed. "Of course. How could I forget?"

Actually, Irene could think of a ton of reasons as to how Charlotte could have forgotten, but she decided not to comment, instead keeping her mouth firmly closed and nodding. Charlotte took that as permission to continue on, and she began with her tale. As it turned out, there was a book-- wasn't there always?-- that Coppelia wanted (Irene hadn't been aware that Coppelia had other Librarians working under her, but it didn't necessarily come as a surprise to her). And that book had been right under Irene's nose this entire time.

Perhaps Coppelia thought that she was helping Irene and Kai by giving them time to keep on the down-low (and, of course, work on the information pamphlet, which was already  _supposed_ to have been done earlier that week) and instead asking Charlotte to do it for her. Or maybe she intended to get Charlotte out on the field as soon as possible so that the young Librarian could have more solo experience under her belt.

Whatever her intentions were, though, Irene still felt a twinge of jealousy.

"And... Where is this book, may I ask?" Kai cut in, before anyone could get away from the subject he wanted to address, "is it here, in London? Or is it somewhere else?"

"I... I would think it's here," Charlotte said, though there was definite uncertainty in her voice, "the book's located in the Liechtenstein Embassy."

Irene and Kai exchanged a glance, and even Vale's head shot up at the words. Liechtenstein wasn't exactly the best place in London, and Irene wasn't terribly fond of the idea of a young Librarian going there... Even if it  _was_ to retrieve a book for the Library. Lord Silver, the ambassador for the embassy, definitely wasn't the most pleasant person to be around-- though his glamour could possibly change that viewpoint, a fact that Irene knew through personal experience-- and...

No.

Charlotte didn't seem the type to give in to Silver's advances. She seemed to be able to hold her own fairly well, and Irene could tell that, if Coppelia trusted Charlotte on this, maybe she  _was_ capable of doing it... And maybe Irene should trust her, too.

"I swear, if it's in Silver's possession..."

Charlotte raised an eyebrow in Kai's direction. "Why, yes. Do you know him?"

Vale interjected quickly. "Sadly, yes."

"He's Fae," Irene hurried to explain, "Lord Silver, that is. And, while he isn't terribly powerful, he  _is_ still fairly dangerous."

Charlotte let out a loud sigh. "Aren't they all?"

Irene smirked. "I have yet to meet one who isn't potentially dangerous."

Kai nodded firmly in agreement before scrunching his face up and letting out a loud sneeze. Charlotte jumped slightly, looking mortified by the sound.

"You're going to need a new outfit, though," Irene said suddenly, trying to fill the awkward silence caused by the sneeze, "in case you couldn't tell, that's not exactly proper attire for this alternate."

"Of course not," Charlotte agreed readily, "what would you suggest I do about it, though?"

Irene looked Charlotte over, trying to envision what would have to be done about this. If Charlotte took off her platform sandals-- something she would have to do in order to fit in better-- she'd probably be standing a good foot below Irene's height. But she and Irene had a similar body type; perhaps one of Irene's outfits would do, at least until they were able to get Charlotte to a seamstress.

"Follow me, Charlotte," Irene said, motioning for the younger Librarian to come with her, "we can fit you up with one of my outfits for now. We'll talk; I can give you details on Silver and Liechtenstein. Maybe even recommend a seamstress."

Charlotte nodded, shooting one last weary glance at Kai and Vale before following Irene.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Charlotte is named after/based on Charlotte Ramsey from the "Beacon Street Girls" series by Annie Bryant. The first book in that series means a lot to me, seeing as it helped me through some tough times in middle school.
> 
> Honestly, the book means SO MUCH to me... Charlotte herself is basically me, what with her love of travel and books, her wish to be an author... Her clumsiness. I'm taking French; she once lived in France... Yeah.


	11. Through the Smog

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Through the smog of my loneliness, I have no answer to the questions. Only the urge to ask these questions remains.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this was also for Creative Writing. Imagery. We got to choose a location and an emotion of sorts, and from there, we built up the story as whoever (or whatever) we wanted to be.
> 
> So... I chose a bird, Victorian London (or just London as it is described in "The Invisible Library"), and curiosity. I hope you enjoy!
> 
> And AAHAHHHHHH!!! Genevieve JUST posted that she's awaiting edits for book six and she knows the title and both covers and I'm so jealous and she thinks it's coming out this winter (which really sucks) and I can't wait and... Urgh!!!

As I soar above the thick, murky air, different things catch my eye. The woman, dressed in a dark shade of green that could rival the colors of a tree in the forest. Her hat is pinned on tightly, and her hair done up in a bun that must be yanking on her head. She walks with a slight limp, and when she talks, her voice is light and soothing. The man accompanying her, shoulders straight and firm, arm supporting hers. His velveteen suit, of an inky color, matches his top hat. I come in closer, hoping to better observe these two. There is no wind down here; all you can feel is the smog pressing in on all sides. But there is life. Her calm voice converses with his low one. The rich smell of fresh-baked bread wafts in from the nearby bakery. A cacophony of voices intermingles as people, all clad in fine, slimming dresses or suits, go about their business for the day. I can feel a slight breeze whenever one passes by; the subtle hints of wind blowing through my sleek black feathers, threatening to toss me one way or another. It feels better than the suffocating damp that fills your lungs and makes you feel wet and tingly, like you just took a bath simply by being outside. Despite being outdoors, it seems as if all the doors have been locked and the pressure significantly increased. But, regardless of the thick air surrounding them, the people are out and about, small, dainty footsteps accompanied by heavy, authoritative footfalls. The air has the feel of warmth and companionship. What is it like, having friends? Having the ability to speak, and to have a kind voice reply? Through the smog of my loneliness, I have no answers to the questions. Only the urge to ask these questions remains.


	12. Irene & Gabe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gabe accompanies Irene on a book heist.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I told you, there's more for the Gabe storyline!  
> But it hit me a few days ago, Gabe really should get to go on a book heist with Irene. I mean, how much fun would that be for me to write? Come on, it's quality mother-son bonding time, after all!
> 
> Gabe is about fifteen or sixteen in this.
> 
> This is part one of two. The other part, "The Traveler's Mark," should be up sometime very soon. :)

Coppelia drummed her fingers on her desk. "And  _why_ should I allow you to be accompanied on this mission? And by your  _son,_ no less?"

Irene knew that Coppelia wasn't fond of Gabe-- she hadn't even met him, but the knowledge that he simply existed was enough to set the senior Librarian on edge-- but still... This was borderline unfair. Call her biased, but Irene knew that Gabe could be a huge asset to a book heist. Or, at the very least, it would be nice to have the company.

"You allowed my parents"-- Irene's voice caught at that; she still had no leads on her true past, though she truly wished she had even the slightest clue-- "to bring me on some of their missions when I was younger, even younger than Gabe is now. So I don't see why I can't bring him along with me."

Coppelia's frown deepened. "That is because you were young back then, Irene, and there was nobody to care for you but your parents. And, to my understanding, there are multiple people back in London who can take care of your son."

Indeed, there was: Vale was at his home on Baker Street, and Kai was probably sitting with him, figuring out something or other about a case. But why couldn't Coppelia just let Gabe go on this mission with her?

Besides, it wasn't like Irene  _needed_ Coppelia's permission to do  _anything_. (Okay, perhaps that was a bit exaggerated, but still; this was Irene's son, not Coppelia's. In regards to Gabe, Irene didn't like the fact that Coppelia felt that she was in charge of everything). It was Irene's choice.

"Irene," Coppelia said firmly, her gaze fixed on Irene, "do you understand that I do _not_ want you to bring your son along on this mission?"

"Alright."

Irene was glad that she wasn't being asked to affirm this fact using the Language; it was a blatant lie, after all. She wasn't about to leave Gabe behind. She trusted that he'd be fine, so long as he was near her. And it'd be nice of her to give the boys a weekend off.

She left Coppelia's office and grabbed Gabe, urging him to stand and follow her as she made her way to the Traverse.

* * *

"Mom?"

Irene quirked an eyebrow but didn't turn to face her son. "Yeah, Gabe?"

"Where exactly are we going?"

"B-81," she replied crisply, "we're going to steal that book."

Gabe stopped in his tracks, looking at his mother in disbelief. "But... Madame Coppelia said..."

"Not to bring you along, I know," Irene answered, finally stopping to face her son, "but honestly, do you think I'm the type to always listen and obey to my superiors?"

There was a teasing, joking glint in her eyes, but Gabe could also tell that she was being completely serious. He had seen her do it before, after all: disobeying orders and going against suggestions, often ones given by either his father or Vale. Gabe chuckled, shaking his head a little. There was honestly so much about both of his parents that reminded him of young children instead of the mature adults that they were supposed to be, the role models that being parents kind of required them to be. At times, he suspected that Vale was the only  _real_ adult in his life.

But, of course, that didn't mean that he didn't enjoy his time with them. Actually, it made the time he spent with them so much more interesting.

"Now, come on," Irene said firmly, taking him by the wrist and starting to pull him along as she began to walk, "we should probably get to the Traverse as soon as we possibly can, or else someone might catch us. And I'm not feeling up to getting in trouble right now."

Gabe chuckled a little, following her as she made her way easily through the maze of shelves and books. "And what exactly is our target here?"

"A book called  _The Traveler's Mark_. In all of the alternates, there's only  _one_ where the author actually sat her butt down and got to writing it."

Gabe laughed. "So... It should be fairly easy to acquire, then?"

"Not at all," Irene replied, "only two copies of the book exist: the copy she wrote by hand and the copy she typed and printed up."

"So she finished the book... And it never even got published?"

"That's right."

"Is she a notable author or anything?" he asked, "or..."

"Nah," Irene admitted, "but Coppelia wants that book, and who am I to deny her that?"

Gabe seemed to contemplate this before nodding his head firmly. "Alright, then. Let's go steal a book."

* * *

The weather seemed to be warm enough. The sun was shining, though it hardly seemed to make a difference. But there was no wind, making it feel warmer than what Irene knew it could end up being.

It was fairly easy to fit in here: second-hand shops seemed to be quite common here, and they all carried similar clothes to what everyone else was wearing. Soon enough, she was wearing a dark purple tank-top and black yoga pants while Gabe was outfitted in dark jeans and a navy-blue polo. Irene smiled to herself. She was proud of how handsome her son was, glad that he had inherited some good looks from Kai's side of the family. (Though, with that came a few here-and-there powers; there had been plenty of water-controlling incidents back when he was a young boy).

And now they were planning things out.

"The Librarian-in-Residence said that  _both_ copies of the story are currently at the Newberry Library here in Chicago," Irene said, peering up at the street sign in front of her, "how far does it say we have to go?"

Gabe consulted the map, also checking the street sign. "It looks like we're going to have to turn right at the next intersection, onto West Delaware Place and then continue on North Clark Street for... A block or so, maybe?"

Irene nodded, her mind racing. She had plenty of details on the book itself, and its location in the library. All she needed to do was figure out just  _how_ she and Gabe were going to pull off the heist.

"Mom?"

"Hmm?"

"Do we even have a plan here?"

Irene shook her head. "No, we don't. But, of course, we can always plan on the way there."

Gabe frowned. "You know I'm not Dad. I can't just... Jump into something crazy, without a plan."

"Your father doesn't do that."

"You don't know him that well, do you?"

That did nothing to soothe Irene. Perhaps... Perhaps she  _didn't_ know Kai as well as she thought that she did. And that thought scared her. She liked to  _think_ that she knew Kai better than anyone else did, but of course that was a futile hope. After all, Kai had grown up with his uncles and father, so they probably knew more about him than she did, especially during the times that he had been growing up. Vale had probably deduced plenty about Kai that she didn't know about. And she had the sneaking suspicion that Kai opened up about himself to Gabe more than he did to her.

And that fact kind of hurt.

Gabe noticed the expression on his mother's face and immediately felt sorry. He reached out, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey. I didn't mean that."

"It doesn't necessarily matter if you meant it or not, Gabe; it's true."

"Maybe it's the other way around, Mom," he tried, "maybe it's that  _I_ don't know him that well, and you know him better than I do. After all, he  _was_ your assistant for quite some time. I only ever see him every so often, and... Well, you know. It's been that way since I was born."

"That's not true, Gabe," Irene protested, stopping in her tracks and firmly grasping his wrist, "ever since you were born, your father has actually made  _more_ of an effort to be home than he had ever done before. He loves you, Gabe. Don't you ever forget that, okay?"

He nodded before quickly changing the subject. "So... Where do you think that everyone is?"

It didn't matter which alternate they were in; Chicago was always a crazy-busy city, and they both knew that.

 _That is peculiar,_ Irene thought to herself,  _there's almost nobody around..._

But she wasn't about to let that get her down, or scare her, even when her wet blanket of an inner voice wanted to ensure otherwise. Perhaps they were just lucky this time around. After all, they  _were_ in the hub of Chicago, near Navy Pier and Lake Michigan and a lot of places with food and shopping...

"I have absolutely no idea," she admitted with a shrug, "but... Let's get going, okay? The library closes in less than an hour, and I'd like this to be an in-and-out sort of mission."

Gabe nodded and allowed her to lead the way down to the Newberry Library. Once they got inside, they were greeted by a librarian out front.

"Oh! Not at the big game tonight, eh?"

Gabe quirked an eyebrow. "The big game?"

The librarian nodded. "Of course, the big game. The final game of the World Series."

 _Of course,_ Irene mentally smacked herself,  _Wrigley Field's three to five miles away... And, in most alternates, the Cubs are kind of stuck in a rut. So... That explains why nobody else is here._

"Can I help you two find anything?" the librarian asked, looking them over with a wary expression, "or would you two be fine exploring things on your own?"

Gabe exchanged a look with his mother.  _What am I supposed to say?_

She shook her head a little. "We were curious about Katrina Holt's  _The Traveler's Mark_."

The woman's light blue eyes lit up as Irene said this. " _The Traveler's Mark,_ eh?"

"Yes,  _The Traveler's Mark,_ " Gabe confirmed, "do you happen to know where we could find it?"

"It's back in the archives," the librarian said, jerking her head in the direction of a heavy wooden door.

Irene met Gabe's eyes.  _Watch this._

"Ma'am, I would like to go back there and see it, please."

"I'm sorry, but only people of a certain authority are allowed to go back there."

"Fine," Irene consented, taking a piece of paper out of her pocket, "have it your way.  **You perceive that this is the proper paperwork and/or identification that you need to see in order to allow the two of us to go back there."**

The librarian raised a disdainful eyebrow, looking at Gabe. "Just  _what_ is your girlfriend trying to pull over on me?"

"My  _girlfriend_?" Gabe responded with a snort, "she's hardly my  _girlfriend_. She's my..."

Here, he had to think fast. After all, she looked to be only about ten years older than he did, so telling the librarian that she was his mother-- which was the complete and utter truth-- would possibly raise a few questions, ones that he knew he didn't want to have to face.

"She's my older sister."

Irene smiled proudly at him, nodding her head and extending her hand to the librarian. "Scarlett Markin."

The librarian just snorted, ignoring Irene's hand. "It doesn't matter what your name is; you're not getting into the archives."

_Damn it._

"Alright, then," Gabe intervened, "we'll just browse, then."

As soon as they were out of earshot, Irene let out a curse. Of all the times for the Language to be overpowered by somebody's sheer will... She had thought that this would be a simple heist, an in-and-out ordeal. But, of course, she was completely wrong. It was almost like she had never learned.

Gabe placed a hand on her forearm, sensing her distress. "Hey. We'll find a way to get that book, Mom. I'm not about to let you fail on this one."

Irene smiled softly. "Thanks, Gabe."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The book Irene and Gabe are sent to acquire is actually one of my stories, one that I've dropped and picked up and dropped again so many times within the past five years... And I still don't have a single draft that's 100% completed.
> 
> Also, I don't exactly know the area of Chicago that I sent them to. The only place in the general area that I know is Lou Malnati's, but that's because I've had it at different areas surrounding Chicago. So... If you know the area better than I do and noticed any inaccuracies, I deeply apologize. I will not change it, but I will apologize. (Seriously, I had to search this up on Google Earth. Please do not judge me on that fact).
> 
> And I DID mention the Cubs! Huge Cubs fan (born to Cubs fans), so... Of course, I had to bring it up. This is either a different World Series or an alternate version of the 2016 World Series, seeing as that final game wasn't played at Wrigley, as I'm suggesting that this one was.


	13. Interlude: Kai in the Library

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kai's been in the Library for five years.  
> But that's about to change.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Set at the very beginning of "The Invisible Library."
> 
> I thought it'd be a little fun to do this sort of thing, especially incorporating the "Interlude" thing like Genevieve herself does. :)

Kai opened his eyes, blinking them wearily as he tried to adjust to the sudden sunlight.  _There shouldn't be any sun,_ he thought to himself,  _there was never any sun before..._

But, of course, things had changed quite a bit since that had been true. Five years. Five years had passed and he was still in this damned Library, with no end in sight. All of the people who had been students with him when he had first come here... They were all gone, out in the field. And yet he was still here, waiting for something,  _anything,_ to happen.

He had been in the Library for far too long, and he felt like he was slowly going insane. Every day that passed, he lost hope for ever getting out.

Kai missed his family. He missed his father. He missed his uncles. He even missed his brothers and cousins, as much as he didn’t want to admit the fact. At least when he spent time with them, he had _some_ use, and he _knew_ people. Here, Kai knew nobody.

_Time to start the day, I suppose._

He sat up slowly, stretching his arms high above his head. Of course, there was hardly any need for stretching in the morning: the Library seemed to be a safe haven, a place where no fatigue could hit you… Not as hard as it would back home, at least. And then his eye caught on something halfway under the door.

Curious, he got out of his bed, leaning down to pick it up. It was a note, neatly sealed into an envelope. His name was on the front, written in beautiful black script. He opened the envelope carefully, knowing full-well somehow that it was from a senior Librarian, likely Coppelia.

_But what could it possibly be about?_

' _Kai-  
_ _I do believe that I have been able to find you a mentor. If you would please come down to my office, there is a short briefing which I need to give you before you head out with her.  
_ _Please be quick in getting here. There is a lot of information which I need to give you, and, contrary to popular belief, I haven't got all day.  
_ _-Coppelia'_

A mentor. He was finally getting a mentor.

He would finally be able to get out of this place.

Getting dressed, he started his way down to Coppelia's office.

* * *

Kai had been sitting with Coppelia for several hours now-- for whatever reason, she kept a clock in her office, and it worked somehow, despite the fact that time didn't exactly work in the Library like it did in the outside worlds-- but nothing had changed. He had indeed been briefed on the mission at hand, and told about his new mentor, a woman named Irene.

Irene sounded like an interesting enough person. Apparently, she had two Librarian parents, so she had grown up surrounded by Librarians and books. She had practically been raised in the Library, spending only a few consecutive years outside when she was a young girl.

That was all he knew about her. He would have to figure out her personality once he met her.

But at this moment, all was quiet. Well, until Coppelia's computer dinged loudly.

The senior Librarian leaned over, pressing some keys and scanning over whatever message was in her inbox now. And then she smiled.

"Kai... It's time for you to go and meet Irene."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is likely to be the last thing I post on Ao3 before going on spring break, so... I hope you enjoyed it, despite how short and cheesy it is.


	14. Stop the World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's bedtime at the Vale household.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Takes place anytime, really. Hints at canon throughout the first five books; includes minor spoilers for "The Burning Page" and "The Lost Plot."
> 
> So... Really brief intro: this was originally going to be a piece where Vale's basically reflecting on the fact that maybe he SHOULD have allowed himself to pursue Irene, and then... Well, it turned into an AU of sorts, where he DID after some time, and then... Yeah, this happened.
> 
> I'm not normally a big fan of Irene/Vale, but hey. C'est la vie, right?  
> If you enjoyed this and want to see more Irene/Vale, I'm willing to write some more for you. Just let me know in the comments.
> 
> This does NOT change the fact that I'm a huge fan of Irene/Kai, and it doesn't ruin the timeline I've set up with Irene/Kai and Gabe. Please understand that this was just for the heck of it.
> 
> Thank you.

Vale had always assumed that he would never find love. It just wasn't who he  _was_ , nor was it something that he could easily imagine for himself.

But then...  _Irene._

He had been wary of her at first-- she did dubious things, after all, and Vale tended to be on the side of law and order-- but then... Things changed. Of course, over time he had become closer friends with Irene and Kai. He had been thrown into rather troubling situations that involved tumultuous politics and mysteries. And... He had learned to love.

It was impossible, the fact that he could _feel_ , and that his feelings were for Irene Winters. Of all the people! But still, he supposed, his heart had a right to yearn for a person, and if that person was Irene, then so be it.

He loved her-- oh, god, how Vale loved her-- but it was an impossible thing.

As time progressed, he grew more and more attached to this woman that he  _simply_ couldn't have. But he pushed his feelings aside, focusing on his work instead of simple matters of the heart.

And then she got together with Kai, and it was then that Vale realized that he was suppressing several of his feelings for her. He was definitely in love, though he knew he'd have to hide it. And it only got harder with time.

Each time that Irene and Kai stole away to a bedroom, or each time that Vale caught them looking at each other and smiling... He couldn't help but feel jealous. As glad as he was that his two friends had found happiness together, he still regretted the fact that it wasn't _him_  making Irene happy.

And then Kai left-- not because he  _wanted_  to, of course, but because duty called and he couldn't just ignore it-- and suddenly... Vale was free to try again. Of course, he gave Irene ample time to get used to not having Kai around before making any attempts.

But, in the end, he was glad that he had waited. After all, it was only the beginning of some of the best years of his life.

* * *

Irene frowned, trying to grab Thomas as he ran around the room. He had been running from her for the past hour or so, unwilling to take his bath. Vale stood blocking the doorway, Elizabeth propped on his hip. Thomas somehow seemed to have endless amounts of energy, despite the fact that his parents had never had such levels of energy in their _lives_.

"Irene, love," Vale said quietly, "perhaps if you just..."

Irene shot him a glance. If he was going to tell _her_ how to handle their wild three-year-old son, he was seriously going to regret it. Thankfully, Vale shut his mouth.

Thomas stopped to catch a breath, leaving Irene with ample time to dive after him, taking him in her arms. While he squirmed and wriggled, she kept a firm grip on him, lifting him up into the air and managing to settle him on her hip. It was then that he gave up his battle, going somewhat limp and resting his head on his mother's shoulder and staring at his older sister forlornly. But Elizabeth was playing with the buttons on her father's uniform, too occupied to pay any attention to her younger brother now that Irene had stopped him in his tracks.

Vale looked across the room at Irene, smiling a little. "I'll trade you Liza for Tommy."

"Are you sure?" she asked him doubtfully, "this is  _Thomas_ we're talking about here, you know."

He chuckled a little, crossing the room to join her. He pressed a quick kiss to her temple, switching the children with ease.

"I've got this, love."

Irene smiled, looking at Liza. "Alright, then. If you're certain."

Vale nodded firmly before focusing his attention on young Thomas. "Okay, young man. You've been evading it for too long; it's time for your bath now."

He looked at Irene one last time.  _Go. I've got this._

She nodded and left the room, mentally running through the list of what she could possibly read to Elizabeth as her bedtime story for that night.

* * *

"We were seated at breakfast one morning, my wife and I, when the maid brought in a telegram," Irene started, hardly even looking down at her copy of  _The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes,_ "it was from Sherlock Holmes and ran this way--"

Elizabeth looked up at her mother sleepily. "Is this Watson talking, Mommy?"

Irene nodded. "Yes, Liza. Watson's always the one telling the stories."

"Why? Why isn't Sherlock telling the stories?"

"I don't know, love," Irene whispered, "but it would definitely be a lot different if Sherlock was the one telling the stories."

And it was true. If Sherlock himself had been the narrator instead of Watson, there would be so much that went over  _everyone's_ heads, and perhaps a lot of things that would frustrate or anger some of the readers.

Liza seemed to be satisfied with her mother's answer, snuggling back into her blankets and looking at Irene with large, expectant eyes.

"--  _Have you a couple of days to spare? Have just been wired for from the west of England in connection with Boscombe Valley tragedy. Shall be glad if you will come with me. Air and scenery perfect. Leave Paddington by the 11:15."_

Elizabeth giggled.

"What is it now, Liza?"

"He kind of talks like Daddy."

"He does, doesn't he?" Irene remarked, smirking.

Of course, she knew that Vale had many traits that resembled those of Sherlock Holmes. That didn't mean that he  _was_ Sherlock Holmes, of course-- he was Peregrine Vale of alternate B-395, after all, and there was plenty of things that helped differentiate him from Sherlock-- but still, it tended to be entertaining to see the similarities.

"Does that mean that Uncle Kai is Watson?"

 _That_ was a new one, but Irene supposed it was plausible enough. After all, Kai often helped Vale on his cases-- he practically  _lived_ on that stuff-- and he  _had_ shared Vale's flat with him for some time... Even going as far as to pay his own part of the rent.

Irene laughed a little. "Sure."

And then Liza frowned. "Does Sherlock ever get married?"

"No, love," Irene said softly, "he doesn't."

She knew what was coming next. If Vale was Sherlock, and Kai was Watson... Where did Irene come into the story? What's more, where were Elizabeth and Thomas?

"But..."

Irene smiled a little, reaching to brush some of Liza's dark brown locks from her face. "But your father  _isn't_ Sherlock Holmes. And your Uncle Kai  _isn't_ Watson. They're your father and your uncle. And they both love you and Tommy, very much."

"That's true," Vale's voice said, causing both Irene and Liza to jump.

Nobody had noticed him entering the room until it was 'too late.' He crossed the room and set Thomas down on his bed, beginning the process of tucking the restless little boy in. Liza rolled her eyes, looking back to Irene.

"Can you keep reading, Mommy?"

Vale looked up, curious. "Which one is it tonight, love?"

Irene smiled. " _The Boscombe Valley Mystery._ "

Even Thomas looked interested now, willing to quit his wriggling in order to pay attention to his mother and the story that she was going to tell them. Irene had to chuckle, amused by the way that all three of them were leaning forward, intrigued by the story that she was going to tell them. But now, of course, she had to start over. She didn't want Vale or Tommy missing out on any part of any tale that she was going to tell them, after all.

"We were seated at breakfast one morning, my wife and I," she began again, "when the maid brought in a telegram. It was from Sherlock Holmes..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title is in reference to the song from "Come From Away."
> 
> And yep. I always figured that it'd either be "Uncle Vale" or "Uncle Kai." So... Yeah.


	15. Meeting Gabe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Irene and Vale get to meet Gabriel Alabaster Strongrock-Winters for the first time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kind of just a short, fluffy piece set right after Gabe is born.
> 
> (Remember, too, that Kai's not there... He doesn't meet Gabe until he's five days old).
> 
> **It kind of gets to be a bit of a tangled mess of 'what the heck did I just write?' at the very end, so... Fair warning.**

Irene smiled softly, looking down at the small infant in her arms. She was exhausted, but still... There he was. Her  _son._

He was small-- his entire body was the length of her forearm, and his tiny fingers could hardly wrap themselves around her pinky finger-- but, she supposed, that was to be expected of a newborn baby. And, already, she loved him. A lot. And she would do whatever she could do in order to protect him.

There was a knock on the door before it opened and Vale poked his head inside. "Hey, Winters. How are you feeling?"

"Absolutely exhausted," she replied, "but... He's here now."

"He?" Vale asked, curious, "it's a boy?"

Irene laughed a little, readjusting her son so that Vale could see him better. "Yes. Would you... Would you like to hold him?"

Vale nodded, reaching to carefully take the small infant from his friend's arms. The little boy only squirmed a little, but just as quickly got comfortable in Vale's arms. Vale's expression softened as he studied the baby boy.

"He looks a lot like Strongrock."

"He does, doesn't he?"

That was the extent of  _that_ conversation.

Kai, while not exactly taboo, was a bit of a touchy subject around Irene. She still had no idea when she would see the dragon prince again. Though she had to admit that she was kind of dreading the reunion.

How would he react when he saw the baby?

Vale spoke again, swiftly changing the subject. "Does he have a name yet, Winters?"

Irene nodded, propping herself up on her pillows. "Yes, he does. Gabriel. Gabriel Alabaster Strongrock-Winters."

Vale smirked a little. "Which books did you pull  _that_ name from?"

"None, actually," she responded smugly, "I had a friend named Gabriel back at boarding school, and I chose 'Alabaster' because he has the same  _alabaster_ complexion as his father."

Vale nodded his approval before returning his focus to baby Gabriel. "Hello there, Gabe."

Irene smiled. "I like that. Gabe."

He shrugged a little. "I had nicknames for each of my siblings, though I am fairly certain that they weren't terribly fond of them."

"Well, I'm positive that this little fellow won't mind being called 'Gabe,'" Irene responded with a laugh, "it's a fine, sensible nickname."

"I'm glad that you think so. Because I'm most definitely  _not_ going to use it that often."

"And why not?" she asked, shocked, "you practically have a monopoly on the name; you brought it to my attention in the first place."

"For the same reason that I call you  _Winters_ instead of Irene," he responded simply, "in other words... I have no idea."

Irene laughed. "Fine. But, if you don't mind,  _I'll_ call him Gabe."

"That is absolutely fine by me."

At that, Vale looked back down at Gabe, closely studying each of his tiny features. There was definitely a lot there to remind anyone of Kai... Kai, who had been off on some sort of dragon business for the better part of the past year. Kai, who had no idea that Gabe even  _existed_. Kai, whose return had yet to have a set date and/or time.

Irene wasn't the only one who missed him. Granted, Vale could tell that she missed the other man far more than he did, but still... He missed his friend. He missed the feeling of having both of his friends there.

He could easily imagine Kai in that place and time, his mind easily inserting the dragon into the current moment. He could see Kai sitting at Irene's side, his arm around her shoulders. He could see Kai looking at his son with pride, and holding him close and whispering comforting words to him whenever he started to get fussy...

_Damn it._

Vale didn't know what had happened to his initial 'don't become attached' philosophy, especially when it came to Irene and Kai, but still... There he was, completely invested in their lives. But, when he thought about it, he realized that he wouldn't trade their friendship for anything. He appreciated both Irene and Kai, and he appreciated all that they did for him... And he would help them, too, whether it be with book heists or babysitting Gabe.

He would be the best possible friend that he could be for them.

"I can't wait for Kai to come back," Irene said quietly, "to see him again... For him to meet Gabe..."

"I can't wait, either, Winters," Vale replied, "I can't wait, either."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yep, this book may or may not have become extremely Gabe-focused. It's just... I enjoy getting to have an OC, getting to learn more about him as time goes on. Gabe pops up and surprises me at times, and I get to learn more and more about him each time he does so. I've even surprised myself by keeping a single timeline for a majority of the time (I'm a very ADD/ADHD sort of gal, and my mind goes everywhere all the freaking time; it's a miracle that I can keep anything straight, let alone something that I invented).
> 
> Thank you guys for understanding. :)
> 
> Also: Vale ends up kind of like my parents. He uses "Gabe" more often than he uses "Gabriel," unless he's frustrated with poor Gabe, in which case he uses the full name.


	16. New Beginnings - part one

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Snippets of different instances of the life of young Gabriel Alabaster Strongrock-Winters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part one of either three or four.  
> This is kind of like a songfic, except I decided to use a poem that I wrote earlier this year. I wanted to post something as soon as I could, but to use the entirety of "New Beginnings" would mean I'd be sitting here forever and trying to figure out what to do about the last few lines of the poem.  
> Part three will be the second part of the poem, "Forgotten Endings," co-written with a friend.
> 
> I thought of this poem earlier, and for whatever reason, my mind just went straight to Gabe and, all of a sudden... There we were. My mind just went everywhere in the Gabe timeline. XD
> 
> Please note that not all of the lines of poetry directly correspond to the text I have written underneath. And, of course, not all of this is meant to be read as one continuous one-shot; they're all different snapshots of Gabe's life at different times.
> 
> AND I used Silbrith's name for Vale's housekeeper. Yay. XD

**New beginnings.** **Life is full of them.**

Irene didn't like what was being told to her.

Or, at the very least, she didn't want to believe what was being told to her.

There was no possible way...  _No_. She could not-- she  _would_   _not_ \-- believe it.

Kai had just left; now was  _not_  a good time for her to figure out that she was pregnant. Of all the possible things...

She sighed deeply, reaching out to knock on the door to Vale's flat. Perhaps he would be able to help her. Even if he couldn't... It would be fairly nice to have a friend at her side during this all. Of course, that wasn't to say that she  _expected_ to have him on her side; he was a fairly strict man, and any fracture in conduct-- which, of course, was all that happened between her and Kai anymore-- seemed to personally wound him. But still... It would be fairly nice to at least get this craziness off her chest, to get to share her struggles with someone else.

As soon as she knocked, Vale's housekeeper opened the door. "Why, Miss Winters! What are you doing here?"

"Is Vale in right now?"

The sound of footsteps on the stairs caught her attention, and she looked up to see Vale standing there. She smiled a little, glad to see a friendly face... Even if he was staring at her with a rather judgmental look in his eyes.

"Well?" he said impatiently after a moment or two of simply standing there, "aren't you going to come in, Winters?"

She blinked. "Yes. Sorry."

He sighed, shaking his head. But he couldn't hide the small smile that played at the corners of his lips. Over the years, he had grown to be quite fond of Winters and Strongrock, despite the fact that those two... They were troublemakers.

"Mrs. Cavendish, could you put on some tea for Winters and I?" Vale asked, "Winters, we can go to my sitting room to discuss... Whatever it is that has brought you here."

Irene smiled gratefully at her friend, following his lead up the stairs into the main sitting room. He motioned for her to take a seat, so she took her favorite armchair, a comfortable thing that was mostly made of dark green plush. When she had taken her seat, Vale took a seat in his wing-backed chair, resting his elbows on the armrest and steepling his fingers.

"This isn't simply a personal visit, is it?"

She had to hand it to him: he was good at what he did.

"No, it's not," she admitted, "there is a bit of a... Personal issue behind my visit."

Vale nodded, signaling that she had his full attention. Which was honestly saying quite a bit, at least for Peregrine Vale.

Irene took a deep breath in, trying to prepare herself. But she found that she couldn't prepare herself. She couldn't keep herself terribly calm and collected. Not about  _this._

"Winters?" Vale asked quietly, reaching out to touch her knee, "are you alright?"

She shook her head.  _No_.

"I-- I..."

Vale gave her (what he hoped was) a reassuring smile. "Take your time."

Irene nodded, taking another deep breath in before... "A baby. Kai and I... We're going to have a baby."

Vale blinked, surprised. Of all the things that he had expected to come out of her mouth,  _this_ was not one of them.

Kai had literally  _just_ left, mere days ago, and now... Poor Irene.

She looked tired and worried, scared and uncertain...

Vale wasn't normally the type to do this, but still... He leaned over and gave Irene a hug, patting her on the back in a reassuring manner.

"Don't worry yourself over it, Winters," he said softly, "I'll be here for you."

**Life _is_ a new beginning: from** **that first breath, you** **are new.**

The strange woman-- Irene hadn't bothered to figure out just  _who_ this woman was; she was far too preoccupied at the time of the woman's entrance, and it only mattered to her that the stranger was there to  _help_ her-- smiled kindly at her.

"Congratulations, Miss Winters," she said in a kind voice, "it looks like you've got yourself a fine young boy."

Irene was exhausted, but that hardly stopped her from smiling a little and reaching out her arms to take the boy-- her son-- from the other woman.

As she held him close, she studied him. His dark brown hair, slightly curled. There were dark blue streaks in his hair, and she knew that he got that from his father, alongside the slight blue coloration of his pale, pale skin.

"What are you planning on naming him, Miss Winters?"

Irene hardly had to think. The name had been on the tip of her tongue for what seemed like ages, and it felt so nice to finally get to say it... He was really there. And now, she was allowed to call him by whatever name she chose.

"Gabriel," she said softly, eyes never straying from the newborn, "his name is Gabriel Alabaster Strongrock-Winters."

**Your story is just starting; there** **are new beginnings everywhere** **you look.**

Kai looked down at Irene, who leaned against him as she slept. And then he looked at Gabe, who was nestled in his arms, also fast asleep.

His  _family._

He had never assumed that this was where he and Irene would be at this very moment, but now that he knew that  _this_ was what their life held... He didn't care that this wasn't what he had assumed. He didn't care about the fact that he had never  _asked_ for this.

For here, in his arms, he held the two most precious people in the world: the woman he loved and their young son. And that was all that mattered to him in that moment.

Gabe yawned loudly, stretching out his arms and readjusting himself slightly. That seemed to be one of his favorite things to do, since he apparently couldn't stay in one position or another for a terribly long amount of time.

Kai smiled a little bit. Of course this hadn't been expected. But that didn't mean that he didn't care for the boy. That he  _didn't_ want to love and protect young Gabriel.

His  _son_.

"I will do everything in my power to protect you, kid," he whispered, "on my honor, I swear that I will be there for you."

And while his word wasn't binding like the Language was, or even the word given by any Fae, he knew that his honor was enough. He  _would_ keep his word. No matter what.

**First steps, first words...**

Kai entered the flat late that night, looking worn and weary. It had been a long day for him, and all he wanted was to take a nice, long bath before settling into bed for the night... After checking in on Irene and their son, of course.

But when he got into the sitting room, he found that there were different plans laid out for him.

Irene sat on the floor, her legs tucked underneath her as she made goofy faces at Gabe, who was standing right in front of her and laughing that contagious little laugh of his.

Kai smiled a little. He enjoyed coming home to moments like this. It was probably one of his favorite things to come home to, as a matter of fact. The sweet little moments that they all got to enjoy between every little thing that came their way, such as work or familial duty... These were moments that Kai cherished, the times that kept him going whenever he felt down.

When Irene realized that Kai was there, casually leaning against the doorway, she smiled widely. Gabe followed her gaze and grinned a goofy little grin, which caused his father to begin smiling uncontrollably.

He seriously loved his son.

Gabe started wobbling a little just then, and Irene reached out to steady him. The smile he gave her was thanks enough, in her honest opinion. And then he rose to his full height-- two and a half feet tall-- and began to take wobbly steps in his father's direction. Kai glanced over at Irene, eyes wide. She simply smiled and nodded.

He knelt down so that he was eye-level with Gabe, who was now making rapid progress towards the other side of the room... Towards his father's arms, which were now wide open. He tripped over something-- likely just air-- and stumbled, nearly falling flat on his face. But he saved himself, using his arms to break his fall. He pushed himself back up and gurgled a little-- how he was unfazed by the near-fall, Kai had no idea-- before resuming his casual, wobbly little stroll in his father's direction.

Finally, he made it to Kai, stumbling once again and falling into his lap. Kai chuckled fondly, helping his son reposition himself so that he was comfortable there. And then he looked up at Irene.

"His first steps?"

Irene contemplated this. "He's been taking steps all day, practicing. But... That was probably the longest amount of time that he stayed up on his feet."

Kai nodded his approval, staring at Gabe affectionately. His son had grown in so many ways over the past year or so, and it warmed his heart to see how much the little boy was growing and maturing.

He couldn't wait to see how Gabe would surprise him in future years.

* * *

Gabe's first word didn't come terribly long after his first steps.

This time around, it was Irene entering their home and finding Kai in the kitchen, making tea as Gabe wobbled about the home, babbling away in some nonsensical gibberish. Irene smiled down at him, taking the young boy into her arms.

"Good evening, Gabe," she said, chuckling when he nodded his head at her, "it's so nice to see you again."

She kissed his forehead, causing him to burst out laughing. His laugh was loud and contagious, and it was probably one of Irene's favorite sounds at the moment. (Quite possibly for even longer than "at the moment," but the fact didn't necessarily matter at the time).

Kai, now finished with the tea, moved to stand in the doorway, crossing his arms across his chest and leaning against the frame. He enjoyed getting to watch those two interacting with each other, though it also made him feel a guilt of sorts about not being there for Irene and Gabe long before the first time he actually met his son. But that hardly mattered now. The three of them were together-- for the most part, considering the obligations belonging to both himself and Irene-- and there didn't seem to be anything that could stop that now.

"Brandy!"

Irene blinked, surprised. Gabe was looking at her, almost as if he was seeking her approval for something.

"What?" she asked once she had gotten over her shock, "did you just say 'brandy'?"

Gabe nodded enthusiastically, pointing at the bottle in Kai's hand. "Brandy!"

Irene chuckled a little, looking up at Kai. "His first word?"

Kai laughed, no doubt remembering the fact that he had asked a similar question only a few weeks before, when Gabe had taken his first steps. He crossed the room, wrapping an arm around Irene's waist and focusing his attention on the young boy.

"Yeah. We practiced all day on that one, didn't we, buddy?"

Gabe gurgled in response and Kai chuckled fondly.

Irene nodded her approval. "I will admit, your word choice is on-point."

Kai grinned, and... Irene groaned internally. He had puffed out his chest a little, as if she had just given him the highest praise possible. As much as she loved him, the sheer amount of pride that he had... It could be a little much.

Kai noticed her sudden unease and laughed a little, shaking his head. "I'm playing around with you, 'Rene. I knew you'd enjoy it if his first word involved something that we  _both_ like. I'm not actually  _that_ proud of the part that I played in this, okay?"

She smirked. "Oh?"

"Yes!" he exclaimed, starting to sound frustrated, "I'm being serious, Irene!"

"Do I have your word on that?"

He groaned. "You have my word."

**That kid down the street is** **learning to bike.**

Irene sat down on the bed next to her son, peering over his shoulder curiously.  _A Study in Scarlet._

She smiled a little. "Sherlock Holmes, huh?"

Gabe shrugged a little, flipping the page. As soon as he realized that the next page didn't have any illustrations, he flipped to the one after that. That was when Irene realized... She had never taught him to read. How was it that she hadn't yet taken the time to sit down at her son's side and begin the arduous process of teaching him her trade... The reading part of it, at least.

She wasn't quite sold on the idea of her son putting himself in danger as a Librarian... Not yet, at least. Perhaps when he was older.

But not now. He was too precious to her; she could not imagine that. Nah, it was time for her to teach him to read... But nothing else about her job.

"May I?"

Gabe shot a wary glance up at his mother but handed her the book nonetheless. It was a nice collection of the books and stories, a fine leather-bound copy that held all of the Holmes stories. Irene smiled a little, gently running her hand along the cover and the spine before opening it to the first story,  _A Study in Scarlet._ She had read the story multiple times before, of course, so she had practically memorized it-- and, of course, the entire Sherlock Holmes canon-- so she hardly had to pay any attention to it.

Instead, she placed the book in between them so that it sat half on her lap, half on Gabe's, and started reading.

"In the year 1878 I took my degree of Doctor of Medicine..."

Gabe quirked an eyebrow. "How do you know what it says?"

Irene laughed a little, reaching back into her mind. Of course, her son knew his letters and numbers. He knew the shapes and sounds they all made. But apparently he didn't know that they could all fit together to make words.

_Letters make words. Words make sentences. Sentences make paragraphs. Paragraphs make chapters. Chapters make books. And books make people happy._

But how would she teach him all that? It wasn't as if she could just  _share_ what she knew. It wasn't as simple as it seemed, teaching someone to read... And she hadn't even started the process of  _trying_ to teach him.

Maybe if she started simple...

She stood up, smoothing out her skirt. "Just give me a minute or two, Gabe. I have to go grab something."

With that, she left the room and made her way into the small study just across the hall. She grabbed a pen and some paper, quickly heading back into her son's bedroom. When he gave her that curious, somewhat concerned look of his-- a look he picked up from the sheer amount of time that he spent with his 'Uncle' Vale, who was always curious yet had a constant sense of judgment about him-- she chuckled.

"We're going to start simple, okay? And  _then_ we can work up to the Sherlock Holmes books."

Gabe nodded a little, some confusion written on his face. He picked up the pen, though, and wrote the alphabet at the top of the paper. Irene smiled, nodding her approval.

"Let's start with something simple..." she said, trying to think, "how about your name?"

"My name is Gabe."

Irene laughed, glad to see that he at least remembered  _that_ much. "Do you know how to spell it?"

"Mom, it's Gay-buh."

"That's how you  _say_ your name," she corrected him, though she smiled at his attempt, "but what letters are in your name?"

Gabe shook his head. He had no idea.

Irene took the pen from him and wrote neatly on the paper: "G-a-b-e."

His eyes widened. "Gabe?"

"Yes. That says 'Gabe.'"

"That's my name!"

Irene laughed. "Yes, it is."

And then she spelled it out loud for him. He clapped his small hands together, grinning. And when she offered him the pen once more, he took it gladly and wrote his name without hesitation.

 _We've got his name down,_ Irene thought, smiling to herself,  _now we just need to teach him the rest._

She was looking forward to it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For whatever reason, the editing is going a little wonky, and only in the areas that use bold type. I will go back and fix all of this later, because it's enough to drive anyone nuts.
> 
> And this is seriously out-of-character for most everyone; I am SO very sorry about that...


	17. Layover

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's a bit of a wait now that the plane has been laid over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one... I've always wanted to do a bit of an AU like this. Like, take the characters and just drop them into a situation that's a tiny bit more like today's day and age.  
> So yes... This may end up being mildly entertaining. XD
> 
> An AU of sorts, where KaIrene meets due to a plane layover.

"Is that a good book?"

Irene looked up from her book, blinking a little. There was a man standing in front of her... And  _dang_ , was he handsome.

"I beg your pardon?"

He chuckled good-naturedly, taking a seat next to her. "That book you're reading. Is it any good?"

 _Why is someone this good-looking talking to me?_ Irene thought, studying the man,  _and about books, no less!_

"I... Yeah," she finally said, trying to brush aside her initial shock, "it  _is_ a good book. In my opinion, at least. I'm not about to go shoving my opinion down someone's throat."

The man chuckled. "That's alright. What's it about?"

Irene shut the book. "Why would I tell you that? You haven't even told me your name!"

"Kai," he said, "Kai Strongrock."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Kai. I'm Irene. Irene Winters."

She could see his lips moving as he silently repeated her name.  _Irene_. And then he smiled, one of those confident grins that tended to turn Irene off. But, for some reason, it didn't do that this time around.

"Now, about that book..."

Irene rolled her eyes.  _A persistent guy. What luck._

But she went ahead and began to explain what the book was about. He sat and listened, nodding intently and seeming to be hanging on to her every word.

It wasn't even as if what she was saying was  _interesting..._ Just the fact that she was talking about a book she enjoyed. That was all she was doing. But Kai seemed to really enjoy listening to her.

In fact, Irene was so engrossed in talking about the book, and he was so involved with his listening, that they hardly noticed when another person came up to them.

"Strongrock!" the man's voice said, his stern tone matching the expression on his face, "where have you been?"

Kai smirked, answering in an extremely smug-sounding voice. "I was right here the entire time, talking about books with Miss Winters."

Irene smiled a little, nodding at the stranger. "Hey."

"How do you do?"

But the man hardly waited for a response after asking her. He turned right back to Kai and began to berate him.

"The entire group is loading onto the plane; there's no time to dawdle around, Strongrock."

"Alright, then," Kai said, sounding very hesitant about it, "it was nice meeting you, Irene. I'll have to read that book of yours."

Irene smiled a little. "Okay, then. It was nice getting to meet you, too."

Kai stood up, following the man down to another gate. Irene picked up her book once again and reached to open it. Something fell out of the pages.

When she picked it up and studied it, she saw that it was an index card with a number scribbled on it, next to Kai's name.

She smiled, taking out her phone and putting in the name.

Just then, people began loading onto her plane.

She would have to call him later.

And she was looking forward to that.


	18. The Evil Creepy-Crawlies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kai sees a spider. Irene, as usual, has to play the hero.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Set after "The Invisible Library."
> 
> In my rereads last night, I got to the part of "The Burning Page" where there's a crapload of spiders in their home... I was sitting outside and that was NOT okay because I seriously thought that giant spiders were going to come after me. (It was bad enough when I first read the book in January and was inside, but now...)
> 
> But... I don't know why I wrote this. I just did.

There was a blood-curdling scream, loud and high enough to set Irene on edge for the rest of the day. Or, at the very least, for the time being.

 _What the hell is going on?_ Irene asked herself, frowning.

But she got out of her bed anyways, throwing on a light robe and her slippers before running downstairs into the main sitting room.

There, standing on a chair in the center of the floor, was Kai.

"Kai?" she said, studying the scene in front of her, "what. The. Hell?"

Kai shot her a glance, a mixture of  _oh, thank god you're here_ and  _are you seriously asking me what's going on?_

And then he simply pointed to the floor. Irene followed where his finger was pointing and saw...

"Seriously?" she asked, looking up at him, "a  _spider?_ What are you, two?"

He scowled at her. "Of course not! I'm just... I don't like..."

She sighed, shaking her head. "You're afraid of spiders? Seriously?"

Kai was a  _dragon._ He shouldn't be terrified of something as small as a  _spider._ And yet... Here they were.

"Could you maybe... Get it for me?"

_Oh my god._

"Fine. Just give me a minute."

Irene ran off to her room to grab a piece of paper that she can use to kill the creepy-crawly, leaving Kai standing on the chair and in a full-on panic.

_Oh, god... Please, Irene, be quick._

It was a rather irrational fear, the fear of spiders. At least, Kai's kin thought that it was. He was often teased by his older brothers and his bigger, buffer cousins about how stupid it was to be afraid of  _spiders._ But, in his mind, it didn't matter if it was rationalized or not. Spiders scared the crap out of him, and nothing was going to change that. One didn't need to justify something that they were terrified of, in Kai's honest opinion. He rarely justified anything about himself anymore; he hardly felt the need to describe  _why_ he thought and felt what he thought and felt. He was tired of having to defend everything about himself... Couldn't he just think and feel the way that he naturally thought and felt?

Irene re-entered the room, holding a paper triumphantly in her hands.

There was hardly anything terribly special about the way that she murdered that spider, when Kai thought back on it. There were no special heroics or anything. Though, of course, anybody who killed a spider for him was automatically counted a hero, Irene especially.

She dropped the paper on top of the spider and used both of her feet to squash it. And then she leaned down and picked up the paper, folding it neatly in half before checking the floor for any spidery remains.

Nothing.

So she walked over to the small wastebasket in the corner and dropped the paper with the dead spider in it. Irene wiped her hands together, shooting a glance in Kai's direction. He was still on the chair, but he seemed far less tense about the situation now that it had been handled by his superior.

"Really, Kai," Irene said, putting her hands on her hips, "you can't just... Be scared like that. At least, you should learn how to  _kill_ them instead of just  _freaking out_ like that. I'm not always going to be there to kill spiders for you."

"Well... You're here for now."

She  _had_ to smile as she shook her head in disbelief. That was the Kai that she had come to know and appreciate over the past few weeks... As dependent and persistent and infuriating as he could possibly be.

But he had a point.

Irene  _was_ there for him... For the time being, at least.

And perhaps... Perhaps she would kill a million spiders for him over the course of time. So what? It felt nice to have someone who trusted her so thoroughly...

Maybe it wouldn't be so bad after all.


	19. Egg Hunt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Helene sets up an Easter egg hunt for Liza and Tommy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy [late] Easter!
> 
> Follows the timeline I set up for "IrAle," starting with "Stop the World."

Irene looked at Helene, offering her a grateful smile. "Thanks for setting this up for the kids, Helene. It means a lot to Vale and I."

"Of course!" Helene replied, "anything for my favorite cousin and his family."

As if on cue, Vale's voice rang across Helene's expansive yard. "Thomas Rhett Vale! You stop that  _this instant!_ "

Irene rolled her eyes. No day was complete without Tommy being a little too much for both of his parents. He was their little whirling dervish, and he gave Irene and Vale quite a bit of trouble. Thankfully, they had people like Helene in their lives.

Helene was Vale's cousin and one of his closest friends... Which was really saying something, considering the fact that Vale usually wanted absolutely nothing to do with his family... The family that wasn't Irene, Elizabeth, and Tommy, that is.

Irene wasn't terribly opposed to Helene, either. And not just because the Fae woman set up unexpected Easter egg hunts for her children.

"I'd better check on them," Irene said after a moment or two, "Tommy can be a bit much at times, even for Vale."

Helene laughed, looking over at the others. "Of course. And I'll check on Liza while you're at it."

"There's no need for that; Liza's usually very good."

"I know that," Helene said, "but that doesn't mean that I can't check in on her now, does it?"

Irene smiled a little. "No, of course not."

The two women stood up, heading across the yard. Irene had to stifle a laugh when they came across the scene that her son had somehow created. Vale had his arms wrapped tightly around Tommy's midsection, and the four-year-old was wriggling around, kicking his legs and flailing his arms. Liza stood watching the scene unfold in front of her with wide-eyed horror.

Helene wrapped an arm around Liza from behind, leaning down so that the little girl could hear her properly. "Let's go search for more of those eggs, hmm?"

Liza nodded and, after another moment, turned to follow Helene to another part of the yard. Irene smiled, watching Liza for a moment or so before turning back to Vale and Tommy. It was always entertaining to watch Tommy as he wriggled around and avoided direct confrontation.

Well, scratch that. It was always entertaining until Irene herself was the one needing a confrontation with her son, in which case... It was pure hell.

"Thomas," she said gently, preparing herself to use the Language on her son if she had to, "you heard your father. It's time to stop goofing off like this, okay?"

Thomas looked at his mother and sighed, going practically limp in his father's arms in response. He had experienced his mother's wrath first-hand, and he did  _not_ want to have the Language used on him once again.

"Fine," he muttered before turning to Vale, "I'm sorry, Dad."

Irene raised an eyebrow at Vale.  _Well? He apologized; was it acceptable enough for you?_

Vale sighed heavily before releasing his son. "Fine. I forgive you, Tommy."

"Better get started on finding some of those eggs," Irene said softly, "or else your big sister's going to get all of them."

"No more funny business, though."

Tommy sighed heavily, doing a fairly good imitation of his father. "Fine, then."

With that, he ran off to join Helene and Liza, leaving Irene and Vale to stand and watch. Vale wrapped an arm around Irene's waist and she smiled a little, leaning her head on his shoulder.

"Happy Easter, love," Vale murmured.

"Happy Easter, Vale."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Helene is one of my OCs who I just created in the spur of the moment while roleplaying "The Invisible Library" with one of my friends... There will be more of her in the future.


	20. Coffee & Kisses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kai's in town, and he insists that Irene meets him for coffee.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kind of a continuation of the little AU I set up in "Layover."

_That coffee place sounds good. Wanna go sometime?_

Irene smirked, looking down at her phone to make sure she had read the message right before typing a reply.  _Which one... Fernando's?_

_Yeah, yeah... That one._

_Take it from a local,_ Irene responded,  _their coffee is crap._

Kai Strongrock-- an acquaintance of hers from one her many flights around the world-- was in town for a few weeks, and he seemed to be desperate to get to see her in person once again. If there was one thing Irene had picked up about him during their brief interaction, it was that he was a rather persistent man.

 _When it comes to coffee,_ came his response,  _the crappier, the better._

She chuckled.  _Fine. See you in twenty minutes?_

_Sounds good. Bring a book suggestion or two?_

_Always._

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Irene entered Fernando's. She held one of her favorite books in her hands... Her next suggestion for Kai.

Ever since they had met at the airport, he had asked her for book suggestions. She gladly responded, telling him the name of the book and author and then giving a brief summary. As it turned out, he had similar taste to her, which made it fairly easy to share books.

"Irene!"

Kai was sitting in the back corner of the cafe, nursing a black coffee. The way he was smiling at her-- as if she had somehow completely brightened his day, simply by showing up-- did strange things to her: her heart felt like it was burning in her chest in the best possible way, and the butterflies in her stomach had suddenly decided to do marathons.

She smiled back, quickly placing an order before joining him.

Irene set down the book on the empty seat next to her before taking a seat herself and addressing Kai. "Hey, Kai. How have you been?"

"Really?" he asked, "we  _just_ texted, Irene."

"I like to keep up the formalities, just for a little," Irene explained quickly, "after all, it  _has_ been awhile since we last saw each other face-to-face."

Kai groaned. "You're one of  _those_ people?"

Rolling her eyes, she responded, "yes, I'm one of 'those' people."

Just then, the barista brought Irene's coffee around. Irene smiled and took it, huffing on it a little before taking a sip.

"What did you order?"

"Caramel latte," Irene said, "how about you?"

"Plain black."

That basically exhausted that line of conversation, so Irene pulled out her book and began to talk to him about it. That was kind of their 'thing,' really: she would find a book that she liked and share it with Kai, who would in turn read it and give her his honest opinion on it.

But today, Kai seemed slightly distracted as Irene described the book to him. She had noticed this the first time they had spoken, too, when their layovers had overlapped and he plopped himself down next to her and asked her about what she was reading. Instead of listening to her, Kai seemed to be studying her intently, taking in every little detail with an intense stare. It was so much easier to do this over the phone, Irene decided. That way, he wasn't watching her every move and wasn't giving her his full attention... A feeling she was completely unused to, and was fairly uncomfortable with.

"Are you alright?" she asked suddenly, interrupting herself, "you don't seem to be paying that much attention to what I'm saying."

"No, no," Kai said quickly, "it sounds like a great book, Irene. It's just...  _You._ "

"Me?"

"You're beautiful," he admitted, "did you know that?"

She shook her head, unsure of what to say... Though she was mentally preparing herself to run if he tried anything, or even  _spoke_ of trying anything.

But when he leaned over to kiss her, she didn't fight back. Instead, Irene gave in, allowing herself to forget her surroundings and obligations. Nothing else existed in the moment. It was just her and Kai.

When they pulled apart, Irene tried to regain her composure. But when she picked up the book again, she found that she couldn't find the words she wanted to say about it. Instead, all she could think of and feel was how good that kiss had felt, how strange it was that her lips burned from the feeling of his lips pressed against them... And how much she wanted to feel it once more.

So, foolishly, and without a second thought, she flung herself into yet another kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note that I am NOT good with kissing scenes. I have read and watched hundreds of them in my life, but I haven't mastered writing it... Partially because I've never actually kissed someone before, and I kinda have no intention of doing so anytime soon. LOL


	21. Suds & Buds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gang spends some time goofing off with a foam machine.  
> Vale isn't having any of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is specifically dedicated to Jai_Wolf, with whom I actually goofed off like the characters are doing here, and who kept on saying over and over how much she could see Irene and Kai doing what we were doing, while Vale just stands on in mild disgust.  
> Also, this uses one of her characters, so...

"Where did Alister get off to now?" Vale asked, "we turn away for  _one minute..._ "

"He'll be fine," Kai put in, "he knows better than to get himself into trouble like that... Now."

Irene shot Kai a glare. "Our  _son_ is with him."

Gabriel Alabaster Strongrock-Winters was five years old now, and it seemed that he was fairly popular, especially among Irene and Kai's friends. Gabe's current favorite, though, was 'Uncle Allie.' And sometimes, Allie ended up getting the both of them in trouble.

"Alright, alright," Kai relented, "we can keep an eye out for them."

Irene sighed. "Vale?"

"Already on it, Winters."

She smiled. Of course Vale was already keeping an eye out for them. What else was she supposed to expect from the greatest detective in this version of London?

"Mom!"

Gabe's voice rang out suddenly, surprising the three adults. There he was, toddling towards them... And completely covered in suds. Both Kai and Vale backed away from him, leaving Irene to her own devices when it came to the young boy.

"What...  _Happened_ to you?"

Gabe didn't give a verbal response, instead grabbing his mother's hand and beginning to run into the open lot he had just emerged from. There, in the center of the lot, was a ladder. Attached to the ladder was one of those box fans, somehow spewing out a  _mountain_ of soapy spuds.

And Alister was standing in the midst of the mess.

Irene couldn't help it; she busted up laughing. "Oh... Oh my goodness!"

Gabe was still holding her hand and still running at full speed (which wasn't terribly fast for the young five-year-old, but still). Next thing Irene knew, she was enveloped in the suds, too. They were nice and warm, welcome relief from the chill of (way) early May. They surrounded her almost completely, at least up to her waist.

Kai and Vale entered the lot, eyes going wide as they beheld the scene before them. The difference between the two men was made evident, though, when Kai's face lit up and he ran to join the others in the suds, whereas Vale simply stood back and watched with a look of mild disgust.

Irene could feel the soap starting to soak through her skirt, but she took one look at Gabe, Allie, and Kai, and determined that it didn't matter. She didn't mind that her skirts were now wet (and likely slippery, judging by the fact that they  _were_ in the midst of  _soap_ ). The others seemed to be enjoying themselves, and perhaps it was her turn to let loose, just a little. Besides, the Library didn't necessarily have rules against having fun every once in a while.

Just then, Alister snuck up behind her with a handful of the suds. He grinned wickedly, plopping the suds into her hair and using his hands to spread them around, almost as if he were giving her head a massage.

That was the final straw for Irene.

She leaned down and gathered up an armful of suds, beginning to chase after Allie. But he was quick and nimble, and was somehow able to avoid her the entire time that she chased him. So Irene had to settle for the next-best choice: smearing the suds all over Kai.

Gabe watched his parents with awe and delight. He enjoyed getting to watch them goof off with each other. As serious as his mother was, she had fun, especially around his father.

And then Alister ran up to Gabe, smothering the boy in suds, too. Gabe shrieked loudly before grabbing up some bubbles and tossing them at Allie. They fell apart halfway there, and Gabe frowned, reaching to grab some more bubbles. Alister knelt down a little, allowing the young boy to spread the suds all over him.

Irene smiled as she watched the little scene unfold in front of her. She loved getting to watch her son having fun... Even if it distracted her from what Kai was doing.

Next thing she knew, there were more suds all over her: in her hair, on the sleeves of her dress, all over her face...

_That's it. This is war._

With that thought, she grabbed some suds and lunged at Kai, ready to attack.

* * *

Gabe had finally stopped his shivering, and Irene smiled, wrapping an arm around her son.

They had finally gotten home, and all three of them had immediately taken off their wet, soapy clothes and put on robes, taking turns taking nice, warm baths. And now... All was warm and quiet once more.

Gabe snuggled into her side a little, seeking the comfort of his mother's arms. "I'm tired."

Irene chuckled a little. "You can go to sleep, if you want. I'll protect you."

There was no response. Instead, there was silence for a moment or so before the sound of Gabe's soft snoring filled the room.

Kai entered, carrying two cups of warm tea and a book. He looked at Gabe and smiled a little, glad to see that his son was getting a restful sleep... And giving him some time to be alone with Irene. He sat down on the couch next to them, and handed her one of the cups of tea. She accepted it, offering him a grateful smile before leaning her head on his shoulder.

Irene could understand just how Gabe felt earlier. She, too, was tired and cold. But it had been worth it, she thought, to have the fun that they had had that day.

She closed her eyes, and soon enough, was fast asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That was kind of... Not my best writing.  
> I apologize deeply for that.


	22. Crown of Flowers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Young Vale and Helene go out to pick flowers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, slightly inspired by Jai_Wolf. In our roleplay, I made up the character Helene and then I came up with the concept that, when they were younger, she was basically Vale's best friend. And then... The flower-picking started, and this happened.
> 
> Also, since this takes place back when Vale's six... I'm going to be referring to him as "Peregrine" because the other Vales are nearby.

Peregrine Vale was hardly able to sit still. Quite often, he was able to sit and relax a little, enjoying making conversation with the adults. But today, he was unable to do so for no apparent reason.

Helene sat across from him, looking equally antsy and unable to keep still. Vale smiled a little: at least he wasn't alone in the general feeling of restlessness that seemed to be emanating from somewhere in the room.

Even at ages six and nine, Helene and Peregrine were close friends. In fact, Helene seemed to be the only person that Peregrine truly enjoyed interacting with. For the most part, he enjoyed finding a book or newspaper article (often on murders or some other kind of case) and withdrawing to his room, reading until he was called out to do chores, or eat a meal with his family. Both of these things were things he never wanted to do, but still, he was fairly obligated to do as his parents asked him to do.

But Helene often changed that for him, talking to him and playing with him. She was the one who taught him how to play chess-- perhaps one of his favorite games, if only for the fact that it required almost absolute silence-- and she was the one who he spoke to about the cases he had just read up on.

Helene was a beautiful nine-year-old. She had golden curls that reached down to her elbows-- she always wore it loose, never up in a tight knot or braid-- and kind, gentle hazel eyes. Compared to her, Peregrine looked like a scruffy young boy who had lost his home several years ago, though he knew that was hardly the truth. His chestnut-brown hair was always smoothed back, and his dark brown eyes always shone with wonder and amazement... Especially when someone was speaking of (or, of course, when he was reading about) topics that interested him.

They had both grown up in what some would consider a high-society surrounding, so it was rare that they looked absolutely dreadful. Either way, though, Peregrine tended to think that his cousin was the most beautiful girl he had seen, and he felt that he was nowhere near the level of refinement that she-- and everyone else in his family and their circle of high-society friends-- displayed all the time.

"Perry?" Helene asked suddenly, "want to go to the fields with me?"

Peregrine looked up at his cousin before nodding. He was desperate to get out of his aunt and uncle's house, desperate to do  _something_ other than just sit around. For once, he felt that simply sitting around and reading about cases wasn't going to cut it this time around.

Helene hopped up and offered her younger cousin her hand. He took it, allowing her to lead him out to the fields that rested just beyond the family estate.

Once they were outside, Peregrine's eyes widened. The fields were full of flowers, all of them bright red. In that moment, he completely forgot that to restrain himself as he usually did. Instead, he let go of Helene's hand and ran into the fields, beginning to pick some of the flowers.

He ran back to his cousin, thrusting the flowers at her. "Here. Hold these."

With that, Peregrine ran back into the field again, Helene close on his tail. He kept on picking flowers until the both of them had their arms full of the bright red flowers. And then Peregrine sat down in the middle of the field, paying no attention to the fact that he could get grass stains, or mud, all over his pants. Helene did the rational thing of checking the general area before sitting down next to her younger cousin, who was already hard at work weaving the flowers into crowns. He finished his first one and put it on Helene's head.

It was a perfect fit, and he grinned. She looked even more beautiful than usual, in his opinion. Somehow, the bright reds of the flowers went perfectly with her dark purple dress. He sat there and stared at her for a few moments before moving back to making flower crowns.

Helene took some of the flowers and tried to weave them together as Peregrine was, but she found that it was a lot harder than it looked. Her younger cousin looked up after a moment or so and smirked.

"Do you need some help?"

Helene kind of raised an eyebrow. "Maybe."

"I can teach you," he said quietly, "they're really easy to make, when you know how."

Peregrine then reached and picked up some of the flowers from their pile, slowly demonstrating to Helene how to weave them together. Helene picked up some other flowers and tried to imitate his motions. While he was doing a lot better than she was-- his fingers were small and nimble, while hers simply weren't-- she was still doing it somewhat right.

After about an hour or so of them sitting there, weaving enough flower crowns for each member of their family-- they used the leftover flowers to tie into bouquets-- they heard Helene's parents calling their names.

"I think it's time to head back home," Helene said softly, "are you ready?"

Peregrine nodded, picking up the flowers and the bouquets. "Yes. I'm ready."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, goodness... As much as I love young Vale, I might not right for him again, 'cause I might be inspired to keep on calling him "Peregrine" and it just doesn't feel natural for me to type that.


	23. Stargazing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Since Helene is heading off to finishing school soon, she knows that she needs to spend as much quality time with her younger cousin as possible.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I lied!  
> Now I can't stop thinking about young Helene and Vale... And I've got so many ideas for them now, seriously.
> 
> So yes, there's going to be plenty of stories about these two.

"And you see that one there, that line of three stars in a row?"

Peregrine lifted his hand to point out the area of the sky that he was talking about to Helene. She nodded, her gaze following his finger.

"That's Orion's belt," Peregrine explained, picking up the chart that he had 'borrowed' from his uncle's study, "you see?"

Helene took the chart from him, looking between it and the sky. "Yes, I see it."

Peregrine smiled, the expression somewhat wistful. "I'm willing to bet you that they don't teach this at finishing school."

"No, they don't," Helene sighed, "at least, I suspect they don't."

 _Suspect._ That single word hit Peregrine like a punch to the gut. It made him think of crimes, and of the people who solved them. It made him think that, perhaps, if he hadn't felt the urge to investigate what had happened to the Vale family several months prior to now, maybe then Helene wouldn't be heading off to finishing school. And yet... Here they were.

Helene was definitely going away, and Peregrine would rarely get to see his cousin-- his  _best friend_ \-- over the course of the next four years or so. He hated his aunt and uncle for making this decision. He hated his parents for agreeing to it wholeheartedly. But, most of all, he hated himself, for allowing it to even be a possibility.

"Perry," Helene said softly, reaching to gently touch his forearm, "it's not your fault."

"What if it  _was?_ " he asked, resolute in the notion that it was indeed his fault that she was being sent away, "I could have stopped this from happening, Helene. If it weren't for the fact that..."

"That some jerk tried to steal money from our family and you went ahead and decided to do your best and salvage it?" she asked, "and that I decided to join you?"

"Yes. If it weren't for that, then you wouldn't be in trouble now."

"Perry, did you ever expect me  _not_ to be in trouble?"

Peregrine chuckled a little before closing his eyes. "That doesn't stop me from feeling guilty about it."

"Peregrine. Listen to me. I'm fourteen years old; I can take things."

"You'll write?"

Helene smiled a little bit. "Of course I'll write. Who do you think I am?"

Peregrine laughed. "My cousin and closest friend. Obviously."

Helene's smile grew into a grin. "I thought so. Now... I've heard that there are several  _more_ stars in the sky that form constellations."

"Of course."

With that, Peregrine began the process of looking for familiar shapes in the sky and showing them to Helene... Trying to 'live in the moment' rather than regret what had already come to pass, and what else could possibly be on its way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Someone, cue the "Prologue" from Great Comet...  
> "Sonya is good; Natasha's cousin and closest friend."  
> (And the name Helene is also in it, but this Helene isn't a slut).


	24. Flat Finders

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vale helps Kai and Irene find a more permanent home in the London of B-395.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was kind of a humorous idea I randomly had several months ago... I just kind of ran with it.  
> You may recall that, in "Sick Day," I kind of hinted at the fact that Vale helped Irene and Kai find their place at Warren Mews. Well... Here it is.
> 
> Set almost immediately after "The Invisible Library."

"Let me get this straight," Vale said, steepling his fingers under his chin, " _you_ want  _me_ to help you find a more permanent residence here in this... This alternate?"

Irene simply nodded. She felt that if she opened her mouth, she would  _say_ something, and if she said something, it wouldn't be the  _right_ thing. At least, it likely wouldn't be the right thing in Vale's opinion.

Her relations with Vale had been almost nonexistent earlier, only there because of the fact that they both desired the same things: books. When they had teamed up-- Irene, Kai, and Vale-- they had achieved their goals of retrieving the books that they desired... But who said that they could be friends later on?

Or that they were even friends in the first place?

But, thankfully, Vale nodded in return. "Alright, then. We'll begin the hunt tomorrow morning, seeing as it is nearly eleven o'clock right now."

He waved over his housekeeper and told her to prepare the guest bedroom and bring out some blankets and a non-decorative pillow for the couch in the parlor.  _Of course,_ Irene thought, with a slight bitterness,  _it looks like I'm going to be forced to stay out here on the couch._

Not much of a change from her previous situations. Still, why did so many homes have to have so few rooms?

"Winters, if you could take the couch," Vale said after the housekeeper had left to prepare everything, "and Strongrock can take my guest room. That would be our best arrangement, if you decide to stay overnight."

 _We have no other choice,_ Irene thought,  _so, yes, we'll be staying here tonight._

Nonetheless, she was still grateful for the hospitality that he extended to them.

Just then, the housekeeper came out of the spare bedroom, carrying blankets, a pillow, and a spare dressing gown. The men bade Irene good-night and then went their separate ways, mentally preparing for the long day of house-hunting ahead of them.

* * *

"While this flat  _is_ cheap," Vale announced, "there are many flaws with it."

Kai raised an eyebrow. "Such as...?"

Vale reached out to tap the wall. "These walls are far too thin; you will be able to hear your neighbors, and they will be able to hear you. There is only one bedroom with space enough for only one bed; unless you two wish to be accused of living in sin, I would recommend either finding yourselves two separate flats  _or_ finding one with more rooms and space for beds. And you see up there?"

He used his cane to point up at the ceiling, which had mold growing all over it.

"The roof and ceiling aren't sturdy enough to hold up in the rain."

Irene nodded. "Okay. So this flat is a  _no_."

"Indeed. Unless you two  _want_ the things I just described..."

"No, thank you," Kai said quickly, "we'll survive without."

Vale nodded. "Alright, then. Onto the next location."

He began to march out of the building and only stopped when the landlord called out.

"Lord Vale!"

Vale turned around, looking somewhat flustered at the use of his proper title. "Yes?"

"There's an available flat in the Warren Mews," the landlord said, "if you're interested, that is."

* * *

The area around Warren Mews was quiet and calm, providing an odd sense of tranquility to the hustle and bustle of the normal London life.

Irene looked around at the parlor and turned to Vale. "Is there anything you see wrong with this one?"

Vale shook his head. "The walls-- at least, the ones connecting you to your neighbors-- seem to be thick enough to keep anyone from listening to your conversations, and there seem to be enough bedrooms for you, Strongrock,  _and_ a guest, if you so wished. And those ceilings are in good health."

Kai glanced over at Irene, raising an eyebrow.  _So?_

"We'll take it."


	25. Dust and Ashes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vale reflects on Irene (and Kai, kind of).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a bit more of a drabble than a one-shot... It's super-short compared to just about everything else I have published here. Sorry.

Vale looked out the wide window that overlooked Baker Street, his gaze focused only on Irene and Kai. His  _friends._ People who were  _there_ for him. People who  _cared._

God... Why did they care for him? It wasn't even like he was a terribly  _interesting_ person to be around. In fact, he was damn near certifiably insane. That was why he had turned down Irene's advances all those years ago...

A choice he was now beginning to regret.

Why had he rejected her? Why had he allowed himself to stay secluded? Why couldn't he allow himself to open up, to  _feel_ things for once, instead of shutting everyone out?

But it hardly mattered; it was too late now. Irene Winters was linked to Kai Strongrock; not by marriage, but somehow minds tended to associate one with the other, and it hardly mattered that they did what they did. Besides, they had a son now. It wasn't as if Vale could simply... Get rid of Kai.

He needed to learn to live with his past choices, no matter how difficult it could end up being for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What is it about me writing about Vale this week?
> 
> (The title comes from the song in "Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812." I was chatting with Jai_Wolf and it kind of hit me that Vale... Vale is Pierre. Seriously. It's... It's not even funny anymore).


	26. Birthday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's almost Irene's birthday.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is kind of "It's the Author's Birthday, So She Wrote About Irene's Birthday As a Reflection of That."
> 
> Set between "Flat Finders" and "Sick Day."

Irene smiled to herself, looking out the window. Outside, the rain was falling relentlessly, coming down in misty sheets of grey. Lightning was also in abundance, illuminating the night sky with bright streaks of white every few seconds.

It was absolutely perfect, easily Irene's favorite kind of weather. Just in time, too: it was only a few hours until her thirty-seventh birthday. (She was still young enough to be able to tell these things, even with the way that aging worked-- or, rather,  _didn't_ work-- in the Library; in future decades, she had no doubt that she would eventually end up losing count).

This was a marvelous way to spend a birthday, she decided. She wasn't the type to make a fuss over the fact that, by reaching the same date on an annual basis, she was suddenly another year older. While she had no qualms about celebrating other peoples' birthday, she was rather leery about a celebration focused solely on  _her_.

There was a knock on the door.  _Kai._

Irene sighed. "Come on in."

Of course, her invitation wasn't necessarily  _needed_ The young dragon had already allowed himself into the room, judging by the wide beam of light now spilling into the room from the doorway and the sound of steady footsteps.

"You're not sleeping."

"No kidding," she answered wryly before adding, "neither are you."

"The storm?"

"Not in the way you'd think."

He sat next to her on the bed. "Oh yeah?"

"Unlike you," she said, smirking, "I rather  _enjoy_ this weather."

"Who said I--"

She nudged him with her elbow, laughing. "You jump every time the thunder rolls."

"It just... Reminds me of my uncles, is all."

As much as Irene wanted to pursue the topic-- she still didn't know terribly much about Kai's life or his family, after all-- she decided against it. She could allow herself a break from politics and the Library. Every once in a while.

"I was going to grab some brandy from the kitchen. Would you care for some?"

Kai chuckled a little. "Sure."

So Irene got up to get the drinks and some glasses, and when she returned, she settled down on the bed next to Kai. Her gaze never left the window, studying the way that the rain fell from the sky and hit the window, the way that the lightning lit up the dark, even for a short while.

"There's something else on your mind."

Kai's voice startled her, causing her to nearly spit out her sip of brandy. She swallowed quickly before responding.

"What makes you say that?"

"Your eyes," Kai replied simply, "you only ever get that faraway gaze when there's something on your mind, though you're trying not to think of it."

Irene sighed. Her assistant was getting more and more like Vale... How long would it take for him to suddenly know every little tick of hers? Regardless, though, she relented.

"Tomorrow's my birthday."

Kai's eyes lit up. "Really?"

"Would I kid you?" she asked, "it's not like it really matters to me, but I definitely wouldn't  _joke_ about it."

"Why doesn't it matter?"

"Because birthdays are silly.  _Oh, hey, you survived another year. Congratulations._ Not for me."

Kai chuckled a little, placing down his brandy before reaching to wrap his arm around her shoulders. "Alright, then. Nothing big. But I'm still gonna wish you a happy birthday."

"I suppose there's nothing I can do to keep you from doing that?"

"Absolutely not."

"Fine then."

He grinned. "Happy birthday, Irene."

"Thank you, Kai."


	27. Those Magic Changes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A quiet moment, a quiet dance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was just listening to my music on shuffle last night-- I've got 2,543 songs on my music player at this moment-- when the song "Those Magic Changes" came up. And suddenly, all I could think was Kai and Irene dancing to that song.

Irene had a record player in her home at Warren Mews. She had smuggled it in from the Library; as long as prying, curious eyes (such as those belonging to Vale) didn't see it, she felt that she was safe. Of course, she could use an actual radio, but that always ran the risk of demonic interference.

Irene also had several records-- what use was a record player without records?-- which she listened to on occasion, often whenever she was alone in the home.

These could all be found in her bedroom. So it was strange to enter the home so late at night and to hear a song playing, the sound drifting from her room.

"Kai?" she asked, taking a cautious step towards the bedroom, "is that you?"

She equal parts hoped that it was but  _wasn't_ him. On one hand, if it  _was_ him,  _what was he doing in her bedroom?_ On the other hand... If it  _wasn't_ him, then a burglar had made their way inside. A foolish burglar who was curious about the device or wanted to listen to music.

She grabbed her umbrella, creeping closer to the room. The door was wide open, and Kai was inside, sitting next to the record player and swaying slightly to the music. His eyes widened when he saw her in the doorway.

"Irene!"

"Kai, what are you...?"

He stood up and ran across the room, taking Irene by the hands. "C'mon, 'Rene. Dance with me."

Irene blinked. "I'm sorry...  _What?"_

"Dance with me."

Irene sighed as Kai began to lead her in an odd-seeming dance: not too fast, not too slow. A perfect match for the song, actually.

"What's that playin' on the radio?" Kai began to sing along, his voice soft and low, "why do I start swaying to and fro?"

Irene chuckled a little before joining in with him on the next line. "I have never heard that song before; what if I don't hear it anymore?"

Kai grinned, pulling her a little closer to him. Under normal circumstances, Irene would've pushed him away, tried to stop him. But right now, she was fine with having his arms around her, guiding her through this strange dance. They were simply  _friends,_ mentor and mentee. There was nothing between them, though she knew that Kai wanted otherwise.

She wasn't completely opposed to the idea herself, but she knew that she simply  _couldn't._

Against better judgment, though, Irene rested her head on Kai's chest as they began to simply sway around.

_Those magic changes; my heart arranges a melody that's never the same... A melody that's calling your name..._

Kai pressed a light kiss to her forehead.

 _I love you, Irene,_ he thought,  _I love you. More than I should; more than you can ever know._

_I love you._

_I love you._

_I love you._

_But... It cannot be._


	28. Helene & William - part one

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first part in a group of snippets detailing the marriage of Vale's older cousin, Helene.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I... Kind of wanted to explore a little more about Helene. I love my OC's.  
> Sorry.
> 
> Also, this is written sort of similar to "New Beginnings - part one," in that it's literally just snippets pieced together to form a whole story.

Helene didn't like what she was being told. "You... You wouldn't."

Her father gave her a pointed glance. "Helene Abigayle Vale, you know just as well as I do that your marriage to just about  _any_ man-- but especially to a man such as Lord William Smythe-- would be very beneficial to you."

Helene knew full-well how such a marriage could be of benefit to her. Her mother had just passed on; her father was afraid that it was nearly his time, too. While everything belonging to the family  _would_ go to Helene (who, at nineteen, was an only child), her father wanted to ensure her financial security... Even if it meant marrying his only daughter off to a virtual stranger.

But that didn't mean she  _wanted_ this. She loathed the mere idea of marriage... At least, her own. Helene was a free spirit; settling down with someone wasn't  _quite_ the thing she wanted to do at the moment. She'd be expected to make appearances, to support her husband in his endeavors, to have children with him, to be devoted to her husband and family for as long as she lived.

That was a type of love and dedication that Helene was unsure she was capable of giving, let alone to her unwanted fiance.

"Helene, please," her father pled, "this is for your sake. I know you're not keen on the idea, but... This is for  _you_ , my dear."

"Alright, then."

_Don't expect me to love him, though..._

* * *

Lord William Smythe had no idea what to expect of his bride. He had heard the name before-- the Vales were an influential family all throughout England, and Helene's name often popped up in the paper-- but not much was known about her aside from her heritage.

So when he saw her standing across the chapel from him, he could hardly believe his eyes.

Helene Vale was  _beautiful_. His bride was small and slender; her skin was extremely fair, and she had wide hazel eyes. Her blonde hair was pulled up in a bun, though a few curly tendrils had gotten loose, framing her face. White daisies circled her head in a homemade flower crown. And the smile she offered to her friends and family when she entered...

She was far too beautiful to be  _his_ bride.

Liam was awkward, shy and reserved. His dark brown hair didn't know how to stay put, and his grey eyes seemed to be  _too_ wide,  _too_ curious. Apparently, she had similar thoughts when she saw him for the first time. She seemed to scan him, taking in everything as she made her way down the aisle and towards him. And, if the way that her nose somewhat scrunched up as she did so was any indication, then she _definitely_ didn't find his appearance to be appealing.

But that was alright, he supposed. Hopefully, over time, Helene could learn to look past his looks and see him for who he was... A man with every good intention, who wanted to do his very best, especially for  _her..._

* * *

A month had passed, and Helene was so far succeeding in her plans to not fall for her husband.

It was actually tougher than she had imagined-- Liam was a good-looking young man, and he seemed to only have the best interests of other people in mind at all times-- but... She was making fairly good on the vow that she made to herself.

Of course, though, this made Helene feel fairly lonely a majority of the time. They lived in a decent-sized home, and it was just her, Liam, and their housekeeper. But she hardly minded the loneliness; in fact, she cherished and  _embraced_ it.

There would be time later, future years, for her to be around other people. Now was the time for her to take the time for herself. Be as young and carefree as she  _could_ be for as long as she could.

* * *

"How is he treating you?"

Helene looked at Vale, smiling wistfully. "That's the funniest part. He's... Not revolting."

Vale let out a loud laugh at that. "It's amazing, isn't it, how most people surprise you like that?"

"Indeed."

"So I take it that he's treating you well, then?"

"Yes," Helene murmured, nodding, "he is."

It was odd, making small talk with her younger cousin. But, at this point, it was all they could do. After she had completed her time at the finishing school, she was immediately whisked home and then informed of her impending marriage to Liam... With all the preparations and the marriage itself-- it had been only half a year since the wedding had taken place-- she had been unable to make the time for him. This was only the third time that she had seen Vale in quite some time... And it kind of felt as if their bond was fracturing, thanks to the fact that they were growing up and going their own separate ways.

But that didn't necessarily mean that she  _wanted_ to let go of her cousin. She loved Vale, and she loved looking back on the past twenty years of her life and seeing just how much they had gotten along, how much he cared for her, and how much she returned that care.

"I'm never going to marry," Vale decided suddenly, "it sounds like too much work."

Helene laughed. "Aye. But don't close yourself off too soon, Perry."

Vale cringed at the sound of his childhood nickname, but didn't say anything.

"There may be someone out there who's absolutely perfect for you."

"I highly doubt it," Vale said, "but, if it means  _that_ much to you, I'll keep my eyes open."


	29. Days of Summer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the last day of school.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been meaning to write a "high school AU" piece for this for quite some time, and now seems like the perfect time to do it... The last day of my junior year.

Irene set down her binder and her other school stuff-- her yearbook, her notebook, her personal reading book, and her writing utensils-- on the table before pulling out her chair and taking a seat. Kai put down his stuff, too, and took the seat next to her. Vale was already there, carefully studying whatever was on the screen of his laptop.

"What are you reading?" Kai asked, "anything interesting?"

Irene fought the urge to nudge Kai in the ribs...  _Hard_. Of course Vale found whatever he was reading  _interesting._ After all, 'interesting' was a fairly relative term; a person could find one thing interesting, something which someone else would never  _dream_ of enjoying.

"Indeed," Vale replied, not even bothering to look up from the screen, "I'm just reading up on that shooting from last night."

"I've only heard a few things about that," Irene admitted, "what exactly happened?"

"The exact details haven't come out; it's obvious that even the police are stumped. But  _I_ know."

Irene chuckled a little. Of course, Vale knew. He was essentially Sherlock Holmes, after all, and Sherlock knew pretty much  _everything._

"So?" Kai prodded, "what exactly happened, oh great detective?"

Vale rolled his eyes but complied anyways. "Surely you've heard that the shooter was a woman, about a year or two older than us?"

Irene and Kai nodded.

"And that the intended victim was a man, perhaps a year older than she was?"

"No... I hadn't heard that."

Vale sighed a little, shaking his head. "So much is being censored from the public nowadays. Either way, the shooter was a woman who was hoping to, at the very least, severely injure this man for, of all the things,  _breaking up_ with her. Of course, having been with him for the better part of a year, this woman knew every place that he tended to go to hang out with friends or whatever. Naturally, this led to her taking a gun and heading down to the club he tended to frequent, in the hopes of spotting him and being able to exact her revenge on him."

Kai leaned in, intrigued. "And?"

"And then it all went wrong," Vale said smugly, "she saw a man that simply  _looked_ like her ex and opened fire on him and the people surrounding him."

"Where was the real man?" Irene asked, "the one who she was  _intending_ to harm?"

Vale smirked a little. "All men have to use the restroom  _sometime,_ don't they?"

"What happened to the people who were actually a part of the incident?"

"Thankfully, all of the bullets went off-course and landed in rather inconvenient places," Vale explained, "the floor, the wall, the table... A few smashed glasses and vases here and there, but no severe damage to any people."

"And the shooter?"

"Was immediately detained afterwards."

Kai shuddered. "Could we... Maybe talk about more pleasant topics?"

Irene raised an eyebrow. "Such as...?"

"I don't know. Plans for this summer. Ideas you have for stories. Things on your to-read list. Anything but a shooting."

"I'm going to shadow Singh up at the station for a couple of weeks," Vale offered, "and I am hoping to become better versed in the ways of the law over the course of this summer."

 _Of course,_ Kai thought, rolling his eyes a little before turning his attention to Irene.

"How about you, 'Rene?"

Irene shrugged. "I don't necessarily have any  _plans_ ; things just happen. Books jump out at me, begging to be read. Ideas for stories and poems simply... Show up. I can't force anything to happen, even if it was simply for the sake of having a plan."

Kai laughed. "Well, then. I suppose that makes sense."

"But we'll definitely have to hang out together sometime," she consented after a moment, "all three of us. I've got plenty of movies and TV shows at my place."

"I've got some board games," Kai chipped in, sounding overly eager, "I can always bring some over."

All that Vale added to the conversation was "Food." (He was far too invested in whatever article he was reading at this point to add much more).

Just then, the teacher walked into the classroom, signaling the start of class. Irene smiled a little, looking at her two best friends. She had been lucky when she had found Kai, and even luckier still when they had met and befriended Vale. She really  _did_ hope that they could stay in touch over the summer, and she hoped that they'd have some classes together next year... Their senior year.

But she didn't mind if they didn't share any classes. Because sometimes, having just the one was enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My last piece before summer starts!!!  
> I don't know how much I'll be writing over the summer, so... Fair warning. (But I'm definitely going to try to write as often as I possibly can, and hopefully post it as soon as I can).
> 
> Title inspired by the song from Team StarKid's "A Very Potter Sequel."


	30. Liza

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two instances in the early life of Elizabeth Rose Vale.  
> Or, rather: when Irene tells Vale they're going to be parents, and when Vale first meets his daughter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The formatting may be whack; I'm using my phone as opposed to the laptop I often use. I will go through and fix this all later.

Vale had hardly taken off his boots when Irene showed up, reaching to help him out of his coat. It was no easy task, wriggling the coat off of Vale; the rain was still pouring outside, just like it had been doing from the very beginning of the month, and all of his clothing was one hundred percent soaked through at the moment.

"Thank you, love," Vale murmured once he and Irene had successfully gotten the garment off, "now, if you will excuse me for a moment or so, I need to change into dry clothes. And then you may ask however many questions you might have."

Irene often had questions regarding Vale's cases-- being a Librarian  _and_ a huge fan of Sherlock Holmes and other such detective tales, she had an innate sense of curiosity-- but today... She had something that she needed to get off her chest before she could even begin to think of questions to ask Vale about his most recent case.

Mrs. Cavendish came out of the kitchen, carrying a tray with two hot cups of tea. "There we are, Miss Winters. Something nice and warm for you and Mr. Vale to drink."

"Thank you."

But Irene's mind was hardly there in the moment. She seemed to be outside of the moment itself, looking inside of 221b at herself, seated on the couch as she awaited Vale's return from the bedroom.

Finally, he returned, dressed in a new outfit that was only slightly less formal than the one that he had been wearing earlier. He took a seat on the couch next to Irene, leaning over to pick up one of the saucers and teacups. He gently blew on the tea before taking a cautious sip. He seemed prepared for Irene to question him about the case... He definitely would _not_  be expecting the words that would eventually come out of her mouth.

"So, I would assume that you have about a million questions about this one."

"I do," Irene admitted quietly, "but before we get around to that... Vale, there's something I'd like to talk about first."

Vale set down the tea and saucer, using his handkerchief to gently dab at his lips. "Alright, then."

Irene took a deep breath. It was now or never.

"I know... I know how you are about people. How you are when it comes to your family. You hardly even allowed me to pursue you simply because you didn't trust yourself... Or, at the very least, your genetics."

"Indeed," Vale ventured cautiously, "what are you trying to get at, Winters?"

Winters.

He rarely called her that anymore. It had essentially replaced the times that he would call her 'Miss Winters' whenever he was acting condescending around her. As he had grown more emotionally attached to her, he had taken to calling her by her first name, and her last name had become the one that he used whenever he was scolding her.

"Vale"-- another deep breath in-- "we're going to be parents."

Silence.

At first, Vale didn't necessarily understand what Irene was saying. It wasn't that he didn't _know_  what she was trying to convey; he just couldn't seem to comprehend it. Either that or, also likely, he didn't _want_  to comprehend it... Or believe it, either.

Him? Peregrine Vale... A father?

The idea seemed impossible and rather comical in his eyes.

His eyes must've expressed the sudden mental turmoil that he was now facing, because Irene reached out to take his hand in hers.

"Vale?"

Great. She expected some sort of response out of him. How was he supposed to answer?

"I... I don't know how to respond to that," he said softly, "what's more, I don't know how you expect me to react."

Irene gently squeezed his hand. "I'm not expecting a certain answer here, Vale. Just... _An_  answer would do."

Vale looked at Irene, studying her face. Normally, he would be able to discern just about anything simply by _looking_  at her face, but nothing could be told from looking. Not this time, at least.

"Could I perhaps give you a rain check on that response, love?"

Irene raised an eyebrow. "I suppose so."

"Thank you."

And now for the tough part: actually _processing_  the news.

Irene rested her head on his shoulder and he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, trying to think through the big news that he had just been told. He could hardly imagine what it would be like to have a son or daughter, a little boy or girl who would one day run amok through the hall of 221b Baker Street...

He would need time to try and process everything.

A _lot_  more time.

* * *

On the day that Elizabeth Rose Vale was born, her father was out on a case. In fact, Vale didn't even arrive home until late at night--  _very_  late-- after Elizabeth had officially arrived on the scene.

It was eleven thirty-seven at night when he entered the flat. It was strangely quiet. Normally, there was, at the very least, the slight hustle and bustle of Mrs. Cavendish.

Something was definitely off.

Vale began making his way up the stairs, keeping an eye out for anything out of the ordinary. But nothing stood out to him. Not until he stepped into the sitting room, where he found Mrs. Cavendish sitting and sipping a cup of tea.

"What are you doing here?" Vale asked, "and where is Irene?"

Mrs. Cavendish set down her tea, holding a finger up to her lips. "Hush, now, Mr. Vale. They're sleeping right this moment."

_They?_

That could only mean one thing, in Vale's opinion. He was still trying to thoroughly comprehend the news from several months ago, and now... It was too late for him to think it through any longer.

He was officially a father.

Mrs. Cavendish looked down at the floor, where her feet where gently moving what, at Vale's second glance, appeared to be a baby's cradle.

"The babe's right down here, if you'd like to see her, Mr. Vale."

Vale nodded, biting his lower lip a little as he knelt down to peer into the cradle. Mrs. Cavendish stood to leave, but Vale stopped her.

"Just one thing," he said, "what's her name?"

Mrs. Cavendish smiled softly. "Miss Winters decided to name her Elizabeth. Elizabeth Rose Vale."

Vale nodded. "Thank you."

With that, his housekeeper left the room, heading downstairs to prepare herself for bed. And allowing Vale time to properly meet his daughter.

As he knelt there, studying the baby girl, small details began to pop out at him. She had dark brown hair-- very much like her mother-- and, based on the fact that she had the hand stuffed into her mouth, she was right-handed. Her skin had the dark reddish tint of a newborn-- in fact, Vale noted, she probably couldn't be much older than an hour or two-- and she was so _very_  tiny.

And then her face began to scrunch up like she was about to begin crying. Vale jumped into action almost immediately, not wanting to wake Irene... If, in fact, she was sleeping as Mrs. Cavendish had said.

Vale reached into the cradle, taking his daughter into his arms before repositioning himself so he was sitting up against the couch.

"Hello there, love," he murmured softly, again studying little Elizabeth, "you're alright. You're fine."

He felt awkward, talking to her like that. He had NEVER been good at words of comfort, and that was when he was speaking to someone who could actually _understand_  what he was saying. In fact, he felt awkward with Elizabeth in general. For the past few months, he had tried to avoid the topic of her.

Simply put, Vale couldn't quite imagine just how any child of his could _possibly_  live their best lives when _he_  was their father. The thought that little Elizabeth would rely on him as she grew older-- relying on him for words of comfort and wisdom, or for anything else she might need in the future-- scared him beyond belief.

He'd had hesitations about Irene herself years ago, doubts as to whether or not he should allow her to pursue him... And whether or not he should pursue her in return. And now...

"Vale?" a soft voice asked, "is that you?"

Vale peered over the table in the direction that the voice had come from. There, standing in the bedroom doorway, stood Irene.

He sighed a little. "Yes."

Irene crossed the room until she was standing right next to her husband. "Vale? Why... Why are you on the floor?"

"I was studying her," he admitted, "but I didn't want to disturb her, so I sat down next to her. And then she nearly started crying and..."

Irene smiled a little, taking a seat on the floor next to Vale. "You should have seen how fussy she was only a few hours ago."

Vale snorted. "I can only imagine."

Though, in his opinion, Elizabeth seemed to be more of the calm, collected type instead of the type to make a fuss over everything.

Again, Elizabeth's face scrunched up, though she let out a sneeze this time.

"Oh, Liza," Irene murmured, "you alright, baby?"

Vale chuckled a little. "A fine nickname. Liza."

"You think so?"

"Indeed, love."

Irene wasn't going to pretend that Vale's interest in Liza wasn't making her happy. In fact, she was _beyond_  glad that he seemed thoroughly intrigued by their daughter. He had seemed so indifferent when it came to the idea of them having a child earlier... But now that she was here, he seemed to be thoroughly invested.

Perhaps it was because he had something to physically hold, to see and observe. Perhaps it was the fact that he saw her and appreciated the simple fact that she seemed to be a normal, sane human. Or perhaps it was something that Irene could never understand, not being Vale.

 _You know what?_  she thought to herself, _it hardly matters._

And it didn't.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I may explore more about Liza's early life later...


	31. In Some Other Alternate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A brief poem I wrote that kind of made me think of Vale... *shrugs*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just twelve lines. Sorry.

Perhaps in some other alternate  
I could have let you try  
We could have made it work

Perhaps in some other alternate  
I am not so afraid  
I am willing to give it a shot

Perhaps in some other alternate  
If he weren't here  
It could be just the two of us

Perhaps in some other alternate  
If everything were different  
Maybe then, things would be different for us


	32. Safe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Being kidnapped has scarred Kai, but thankfully Irene is there at his side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested by CharnaBelle on Tumblr (coffee-goth-princess): "Hey, hey, calm down. They can't hurt you anymore."

"The Guantes--"

Those two words were enough to get Kai's mind to go straight to dark, dangerous places... Places he had been, and never wished to return to. Places he had faced alone, helpless, afraid.

He had known that things wouldn't always be easy-- hell, life itself wasn't easy-- but this... It was not what he had expected.  
Chains. Being drained of his powers, stuck in his human form, waiting... Kai shuddered.

"Kai?" Irene's voice came drifting into his thoughts, "are you... Alright?"

Kai didn't respond. He couldn't bring himself to respond. He was simply terrified.

They had conquered over the Guantes, but it seemed that the Fae may have ultimately won.

Next thing Kai knew... Oh, god, were those tears? Yep, he was definitely crying. He could feel his entire body trembling, too.

Irene realized exactly what was going on and instantly leaned over, wrapping her apprentice in her arms. It was something she didn't normally do, but it just seemed like the right thing to do in this moment. He was absolutely terrified, and he needed someone there.

"Hey, hey," Irene said softly, rubbing her hand up and down his back, "calm down. They can't hurt you anymore."

Kai frowned. Sure, they couldn't physically hurt him anymore... But physical scarring would be inevitable.

But as Irene held him close, allowing him to cry and tremble, to let out all the emotions he had been holding in... Kai felt safe. He felt safe, and comfortable, and somewhat confident.

Confident. Maybe not in himself, but in Irene. Confidence that she would always come for him. That she had his back, just as he had hers.

He was glad to have someone like her on his side. And he hoped never to have that change.


	33. Hiss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Irene hisses at her supervisor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Set immediately after "The Masked City."
> 
> For the prompt "Did you just hiss at me?" requested on Tumblr by CharnaBelle.

"Did you just... Hiss at me?"

Coppelia's voice was sharp and steely, but there seemed to be a slight tinge of amusement there, too. Irene immediately flushed red, feeling rather embarrassed that she had actually hissed at her supervisor.

Maybe Kai really was rubbing off on her.

"No, ma'am," she said quickly, then going to correct herself a little. "I mean, I didn't intend to hiss at you."  
But I did anyways.

"Listen, Irene," Coppelia said, her voice suddenly taking on a softer tone, "I understand that this probation is not what you want right now. I don't want it for you, either. But rules are rules, and..."

"I knew the risks, ma'am. But I still did it. It was my choice."

Coppelia smiled a little, nodding her affirmation.

"I just have one question, though."

"Yes, Irene?"

"Will Kai still assist me while I'm on probation?"

She had grown too attached to the young dragon; she couldn't imagine having to say good-bye so soon.

"Of course."


	34. Walking in Memphis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When their car breaks down, the gang goes and explores Memphis, Tennessee.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... I put my music player on shuffle last night and put some songs on repeat and forced myself to write about whatever came to mind as I listened to the song. This is the first of four pieces I wrote while doing this last night.
> 
> Based on two separate experiences my family has had in Memphis, Tennessee.  
> Written while listening to "Walking in Memphis" by Marc Cohn.

Irene hated this. Of _course_  the car had decided to bust up-- at least partially-- at this exact time. Memphis was supposed to be a place that they simply drove through, not... They weren't supposed to be trapped here!

The repairman looked at her. "Ma'am, it might take us a few hours to fix this for ya. I'd suggest that ya go out and see some of the sights. There's a concert on Mud Island tonight, or you could go and enjoy some other sights..."

He listed off several ideas, all of which Irene immediately discarded. All she wanted to do was to get _out_  of Memphis. Was _that_  too much for her to ask?

Apparently, fate thought that it was.

* * *

It was a beautiful day; so beautiful that Kai felt _glad_  that their car had broken down. The young man could sense _everything_ ; he could feel the deep historical (and mostly musical) roots, and he could also tell that the city had a nice, casual nightlife...

Just the type of thing that he loved.

So, after a minute or so of him pestering Irene about it, Kai was happy to say that he had convinced her to let them tour the city.

Sadly, at this hour, some places in the city-- such as the iconic Graceland-- were closed for the night. But that wasn't about to stop Kai from having a good time with his friends. Not one bit.

* * *

The sun was beginning to set as Irene, Kai, and Vale began making their way along the large, three-dimensional river diagram on Mud Island, following it out to... Who knew where.

Irene sighed a little, cradling her hand to her chest. Earlier along the river, they had happened across a miniature dam. Kai had gone and lifted it with ease, and Irene had gone to echo his actions... But when she had gone to put the dam back, the metal had cut into her skin a little.

While they didn't have any proper bandages on them-- they had left _those_  in the car, which they had left at that shady car repair shop-- Irene _did_  happen to have some tampons on her. Kai had torn the string off one and helped tie it to her finger for the time being. (Vale had laughed a little and taken a few pictures).

"You know," Kai said after a moment or two, "I think I can hear the music that the guy mentioned earlier."

Well, _that_  was obvious. They were nearing a little grassy area surrounded by trees and completely filled with people. Adults in captain chairs, children running around and playing, entire families sharing picnics on blankets. In front of all the people was a makeshift stage complete with band and singer. The music floated through the air and...

Kai grinned from ear to ear now. He couldn't explain it; he could just _feel_  the music stirring in his heart and soul.

The trio continued to follow the river system until it let out into a giant pond-- the Gulf of Mexico, maybe?-- and a field nearby. In the field were giant letters that spelled out the city's name.

Kai raced over to the letters and instantly began climbing up into the "P." Once he was inside, he sat down so that the curve of the shape cradled him.

Irene shook her head, but she was smiling. She took off, too, heading somewhere out of Kai's sight.

Vale sighed a little. Alright, then. He could do this, too.

He tapped the nearest person on the shoulder and asked him to take their pictures. He then handed the camera to the (slightly confused) man and ran to stand under the "H." (Irene was standing on top of it).

When the stranger had finished taking their pictures, Kai, Irene, and Vale headed back towards the little park area to listen to the music for a little while. Irene and Vale found a nearby bench to sit on, but Kai remained standing and looking out at the river.

The sun had set even more, and there was something about sunsets over rivers that drew Kai in. They were too beautiful.

Speaking of beautiful things that drew Kai in...

"Irene?" he asked, turning to face her again, "would you care to dance with me?"

Irene shot a glance at Vale-- "Winters, it's not _my_  choice"-- before nodding a little.

"Sure."

She took the hand that he extended to her. And with that, they let the music carry them away.


	35. Best Worst Mistake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This was a mistake. A huge mistake.
> 
> But there would be time to regret this stupid decision later on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Number two of my four one-shot written while listening to music on shuffle.
> 
> This one was inspired by "Best Worst Mistake" from If/Then. It totally gave me Vale/Silver vibes.
> 
> I am sorry.
> 
> \-----
> 
> Takes place pre-canon.

Silver was trying to lay a glamour on him. Vale was almost _positive_.

There was admittedly something rather... Tantalizing about the ring of his voice, the way he was positioned carelessly-- or, at least, seemingly so-- in his seat, or the way that his long hair hid behind one shoulder, only to openly flow over the other...

Vale shook his head. Glamours only worked if someone was off their guard, and he was never off his guard. EVER.

So... Why was it that he suddenly found himself falling for this stupid glamour?

"Vale," the Fae said softly, an odd glint in his eyes, "what's on your mind?"

Vale quickly shot his gaze down at his feet. Damnit all, he was such an idiot.

"Absolutely nothing."

"Nothing, eh?" Silver asked, the look in his eyes now translating into a strange smirk, "so... You would be fine if I...?"

He didn't _verbally_  finish the thought, instead reaching to touch Vale's forearm... And then trailing his hand down until it was right on top of Vale's.

Vale frowned slightly but didn't try to move away. Instead, he sat there, focused on glaring at Silver and speaking three words:

"I hate you."

Silver waved that off. "I know that."

God... What was happening here?!

It was too late to think, though. Silver was already sitting on the table, leaning down a little so that his gaze met Vale's.

And when he leaned down farther to kiss Vale, the latter hardly thought. He didn't fight it.

This was a mistake. A  _huge_ mistake.

But there would be time to regret this stupid decision later on.


	36. Hey, Kid

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vale ponders on his impending fatherhood.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by the song "Hey, Kid" from If/Then.
> 
> Between the first part of "Liza" and the second part.

_Kid -_   
_You scare me. More than anything.  
_ _Many years ago, I had hardly even opened myself up to friendships, let alone... Well, let alone anything. It took me even longer still to agree to the possibility of having a romantic relationship... It was a long road your mother and I traveled before coming to this very moment._   
_I am hardly ready for you, though I suppose I should be trying to prepare, at least a little._   
_Knowing that you simply exist... It scares me. A lot. This knowledge... It makes me think of myself, and it makes me notice just about every flaw in my life, from the way that I was raised to the way that I chose to live now that I am facing this world on my own. And that scares me; I do not want you living a life like the one that I led._   
_I promise, son or daughter... I promise that I will do everything in my power to be the best possible father for you. I do not know all that there is to know about this life, but I will share what knowledge I do have._   
_I will do my best to protect you._   
_I will not say this enough, so I will write it here as a reminder: I love you, little one.  I am-- and will always be-- on your side._   
_I just hope that I do a good enough job._   
_\- Your father, Peregrine Vale_


	37. Rules

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A dragon and a Librarian could never be. And yet... Irene and Kai were.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last of my music-inspired pieces for now.
> 
> This one was written while listening to "Rewrite the Stars" from The Greatest Showman.
> 
> Little nod to the final chapters of "The Lost Plot."

Librarian and dragon. Together.

 _That_  was a big no-no in society.

And Irene had to remind herself of this fact almost daily.

She could not deny the fact that she was definitely attracted to Kai, but Librarians weren't necessarily supposed to get emotionally involved with _anyone_ , let alone someone who belonged on either side of the chaos-order spectrum. It was not a matter of attraction; it was instead a matter of balance. Having balance in the first place... And then finding a way to _keep_  that balance.

However much Kai nagged at her, she had to turn him down. It was as simple as that. And yet something told her otherwise.

So she blamed it solely on the fact that she was his superior. In fact, Irene had used that excuse so often that she nearly bought it herself.

And that fact was proven when Kai resigned his post at the Library.


	38. Otters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gabe's favorites were the otters.

Gabe's favorites were the otters. He loved how sleek they looked as they swam underwater, and he loved how playful and goofy they were when they were together.

He wished he could be as carefree as they were. But that wasn't necessarily an option for him. After all, his mother was a Librarian, his father was a dragon prince, and his uncle was a killjoy. Thankfully, though, he had people like his uncle Alister in his life.

Speaking of... Allie was crouched down next to Gabe, so that if they turned towards each other, they would be face-to-face. Uncle Vale was standing against the back wall with Irene and Kai, making small talk over some matter or other. One of the two otters swam right up to the glass in front of Allie, who smiled and poked Gabe in the side.

"Gabe," he whispered, "lookit."

Gabe looked and squealed in delight. "Uncle Allie! Otter!"

Allie grinned and reached over to tickle the five-year-old. Irene looked up just then and smiled softly. She loved that Gabe was easily excited, though sometimes the energy could be a little much for her to handle.

Gabe pressed his hands and face to the glass, watching the otters as they swam around the pond.

"I wanna do that," he whispered, "swim all day."

Kai laughed, kneeling down next to his son. "You wanna see something cool?"

Gabe nodded enthusiastically. Of _course_  he wanted to see something cool. Kai grinned, focusing his attention on the water. And then the water rose up... And waved at Gabe.

The young boy squealed happily, clapping his hands together.

"Strongrock," Vale said, "this place is too public for this."

As if on cue, another family entered the room, immediately going right up to the glass. They began talking loudly, which Irene and Vale took as their cue to leave.

"Ready to go?"

"Awww," Gabe whined, "I wanna stay here."

"We've got a lot more planned for today," Irene said softly, reaching to take Gabe's hand in hers, "and I think you're going to have a lot of fun with that, too."

"Fine."

"Let's get going, then."


	39. Take a Break

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A concerned Irene convinces Vale to play chess with her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For an anon on Tumblr: Can you write some platonic Irene and Vale fluff pleeeeeeease 🖤

"Vale? Are those... Have you been working on those papers all night?"

Vale didn't look up at Irene. "Yes, Winters."

"Did you even get any sleep last night?"

No answer. There was hardly ever an answer, not when Irene asked questions that Vale didn't want to answer. Which led her to the conclusion that he had not gotten any sleep the night before.

"Vale..."

"I'm fine, Winters!" he snapped, "this isn't my first time pulling an all-nighter, though it is the first one I've pulled in over a week or so."

"That doesn't matter!" Irene responded hotly, "Vale, you're human, and humans need sleep."

"I'm fine, Winters."

Irene sighed. "At least take a break. There's a chess board over there just waiting for us."

Vale sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Fine. Just... Fine."

Irene turned to grab the board and it's corresponding pieces, trying to hide her victorious grin from Vale. When she turned to put the board down, Vale had already moved the papers off to the side in order to make room for the game. Irene set it all up and took a seat across from Vale.

"Okay. White goes first... Right?"

Vale raised an eyebrow. "Of course it does."

Irene cowered a little. "Of course. I'm sorry."

"You haven't played in quite some time, have you?"

She frowned. "What gave that away?"

This caused Vale to snort. It was obvious, really: the way that Irene was studying the board as if she was trying to remember something that had somehow slipped her mind. Or the fact that she had to ask him who went first.

"Winters, here. Let me refresh your memory a bit."

So he went through and explained each piece and its purpose to Irene who, with each word he said, found that she actually did remember how to play the game; it had just been tucked back into the deeper recesses of her mind.

Soon enough, they had a full-scale game going, neither of them speaking for fear of breaking their own concentrations.

But that didn't mean that their minds weren't whirring around at about a hundred miles per hour.

Irene was thinking back to how she could have possibly forgotten how to play such a simple game. Was working for the Library really taking such a toll on her?

Vale, on the other hand, was lost in thought about... Lots of things, really. Winters offering to play chess with him, despite the fact that she couldn't remember how to play...

"Why did you ask me to play," he began slowly, breaking the silence, "if you didn't necessarily remember how?"  
Irene made one last move and marked it down before looking at Vale. "You said it yourself: you were up all night last night, and you needed to take a break."

"You and Strongrock never seemed to care about that until now."

"Well... Maybe I needed a break, too. Being a Librarian-in-Residence isn't easy, especially not when you're literally returning from a confrontation with the Library's number one enemy."

Vale nodded understandingly. "Then thank you, Winters."

"Of course," she said, smiling, "what are friends for?"


	40. Uniforms

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Legit policemen < matching tracksuits.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For percybleu over on Tumblr: The Invisible Library, “Sorry, but where I come from, legit policemen don’t wear matching tracksuits.” (From The fake redhead’s writing prompts)

"Sorry, Irene, but where I come from, legit policemen don't wear matching tracksuits."

Irene frowned. "You're clearly not from around here, are you?"

"Well, neither are _you_!" Kai retorted, "seriously, Irene... I don't think that this is your best idea."

"It'll work, you'll see."

Kai sighed. "I'd rather _not_ see. This sounds borderline dangerous. I know that we've been through enough dangerous situations before, but... This is kind of too much."

Vale piped up from across the room. "Strongrock has a point there, Winters. Besides, nobody's going to buy that you two are officers. At least not in _that_ getup."

"I'm not seeing either of you two put in your two cents," Irene responded, "you complain about my plan, but have nothing else to turn to."

Vale cleared his throat. "Actually, Winters... There may be something in my closet that might work for the two of you. Actual uniforms, about your size."

Kai glanced at Irene. _Please, let's try this option first._

Irene sighed, utterly defeated. "Fine. Let's see what you've got."


	41. Shirt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kai can't find his shirt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Request from an anon on Tumblr: 30. "Help me find my shirt" / "You know, as much as I want to... I don't want to."
> 
> The official fortieth one-shot in this book!!! 😊

Kai could've _sworn_ that he had left his shirt on the floor. But as he sat up, he found... Nothing. Crap.

"Irene?" he asked quietly, "wake up."

She turned to face him. "Whatisit?"

"Help me find my shirt."

"Kai..." she muttered, "seriously?"

"Yes," he said firmly, "help me find my shirt."

"As much as I want to... I don't want to."

Kai frowned. "And just _why_ not?"

"Kai," she said, yawning, "it's three in the morning. It can wait for later. Besides..."

She drifted off, and Kai thought she had fallen asleep again. At least, until she said drowsily:

"You look pretty damn hot without it."

Kai had to chuckle a little, moving to gently kiss her on the forehead. "Fine. But I _will_ search for it later."

No response. She had fallen asleep already. He wrapped his arms tightly around her, nestled his chin in her hair, and fell asleep, too.


	42. Cuddles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Irene had to admit that she never felt better than she did in Kai's arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cuddle prompt from CharnaBelle on Tumblr: cuddling in bed.

If anybody asked Irene, she would say that it was the cold that drove her to seek Kai out, ask if she could share a bed with him, and then curl right up next to him. Yes, it was most definitely the chill of the evening air that always managed to seep into their flat every night. Nothing more.

As for Kai, he didn't ask any questions when she did this. He simply wrapped his arms around her and held her close. He knew better than to simply ask her; she would open up about it if she felt like doing so. She just needed time.

And maybe it was the cold; what did it matter if it was or wasn't, though?

Sometimes, people just need to be held close to others, soaking in their warmth. Sometimes, people just need to feel like they are loved and cared for.

And Irene had to admit that she never felt better than she did in Kai's arms.


	43. Interlude: You Don't Need to Love Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kai would be there for her. Always.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I nearly forgot that I wrote to more one-shots while listening to my music on shuffle!  
> This one was inspired by the song from If/Then.
> 
> Takes place in the middle of "The Invisible Library."

Kai loved Irene. It was stupid, really; he knew the rules, and he was willing to abide by them. But still, his heart yearned for her.

And now, as he held her in his arms-- still passed out after the strange incident at the British Library-- he realized just how much she actually meant to him, how much he _loved_  her. She was too beautiful and smart for her own good.

And then his mind flashed to the night that they had spent in the hotel. Irene had turned him down... And she had given some pretty damn good reasons for it, too. Reasons that he understood and could (somewhat) respect.

For no apparent reason, that turned him on far more than he had expected that it would.

Maybe he simply needed her in his life. Maybe not in the way that many would think, including himself. Maybe she needed his love, maybe she didn't.

But regardless, they _did_  need each other. They were a team now, each of them with their own special skill sets... And each of them could use a close friend.

Yeah. That... That was it. And it was reasons like this that kept him going, helping her even if she didn't ask him for assistance.

Such as now. She hadn't asked for him to bring her to Vale's, but she was unconscious and he had nowhere else to go. Kai just hoped that Irene wouldn't get mad at him later for this.


	44. What Would I Do Without You?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Irene and Kai were a team.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second "iPod on Shuffle" for this one. 😂  
> Inspired by the song from Magic Tree House: the Musical.
> 
> Set after "The Masked City."

Kai looked at Irene. God, he owed her _so_  much... Not only had she saved him from the Guantes, but she had also helped to prevent a full-on _war_  from happening.

"Irene?"

She hardly looked up from her book. "Yes, Kai?"

"I just wanted to say thanks," he said after a moment, "for... You know. For saving me."

Irene chuckled a little, marking her place and closing the book. "I couldn't leave you to suffer at the hands of the Fae."

"Irene. Really."

She had staked her whole reputation on rescuing him, she had risked severe judgment and consequences when she had gone after him against Coppelia's advisement. And she responded to his thanks like _this_?

"Irene, really," he said again, "why... Why did you even do that in the first place?"

Irene smiled at him. "Because we're a team. You would've done the same for me."

She wasn't wrong.

If _she_  had been kidnapped, Kai definitely would've been the first to drop everything until she had been found and returned to safety.

It made sense. It just hadn't occurred to him until just then.

But Irene was right: they were a team. They had each other's backs.

Always.


	45. Another Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Forget regret, or life is yours to miss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote four pieces in the middle of the night last night, just before the NyQuil kicked in. All of these are like the last few, these are iPod shuffle pieces. 😂
> 
> I got to the Fox version of "Another Day" from RENT and immediately thought Silver/Vale.
> 
> Takes place immediately before "Best Worst Mistake."

Vale could hear the knocking, but he didn't want to acknowledge it. Didn't his visitor realize that Vale had a life, too?!

Apparently not.

His housekeeper also didn't realize this, he noted bitterly, for he could hear her hurried footsteps rushing to the front door. Not even a minute later, he heard an all-too-familiar voice on the stairwell. He couldn't quite make out what they were SAYING, but he definitely recognized the voice as the one belonging to that irritating Lord Silver.

The Fae man had just moved to London and now occupied a large manor, and he held the title of ambassador from Liechtenstein. He had much better business than that of pestering Vale constantly. And yet he continued to do it, day after day.

Vale's last thought before Silver's entrance was: _Why can't Silver just leave me be?_

Then Silver threw open the door, looking ad if he was seeking out good critique for the way that he had entered a simple room.

Vale pit down his violin, shaking his head and lifting his hand to point back at the stairs. "You. Out. Now."

Silver put a hand on his heart, looking almost genuinely wounded. "But Vale, my de--"

"I am _not_  your dear, or your darling, or any of your other little pet names!" Vale snapped, "now get. Out. Of. My. Home."

But the Fae wasn't backing down. He moved closer to where Vale was standing, reaching out to put a hand on Vale's forearm. And  _that's_  when Vale felt the stupid spark, the electricity that practically flowed from Silver's fingers right into his arm. It seemed to jolt him awake.

He froze, simply staring at the area where Silver's hand made contact with his clothing.

Silver smirked slightly, leaning in a little. "If you insist, then I shall leave."

He moved his head slightly in order to kiss Vale on the cheek.

And _god_ , how Vale suddenly wanted for this nuisance to stay, if only for just a little longer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The others-- "Far From the Home I Love," "Play," "Love Never Dies," and "Still Hurting"-- will be posted tomorrow morning! 😊
> 
> Good night, peeps, I love y'all! 💜


	46. Far From the Home I Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How can I hope to make you understand why I do what I do?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More from the iPod on shuffle things... I forgot to post this earlier this week, and I am so sorry.

Coppelia blinked. "Irene. You are very near retiring; you have the opportunity to stay here in the Library and enjoy a long life. You've expressed your hopes to do so on multiple occasions in the past. Why is it that you are now wishing to remain stationed in B-395 until you can no longer remain at all?"

Irene smiled, a little wistfully. "Surely, I'm not the only Librarian who has made friends while on the job."

"You're not," Coppelia complied, "but not that many opt to stay in the alternate, even if they have a  _thousand_ friends there."

Irene nodded. "Not many of them grew up in the Library, either."

"That is true."

"Coppelia, I think it's already been long established," Irene continued quietly, "that I am not an ordinary Librarian. I have made friends, very close friends, in my assigned alternate. I have a son, who I would like to see grow up. I would like to age like a regular human alongside my closest friends. Yes, I love this place-- this is my  _home_ \-- but... My heart is no longer entirely here. It's also there, with Kai and Vale and Gabe."

Coppelia gave a thin, crooked smile. "Of course, Irene. Of course."


	47. Play

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The world is so mysterious and wild when you start to see it through the eyes of a child.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by the song from the musical "Finding Neverland."
> 
> Just thought that this one would be kind of fun, slightly goofy... *shrugs*

"Tag! You're it!"

Alister's cry rang throughout the park, followed by Gabe's squeal and Haven's loud laughter. Irene smiled softly, glancing away from her conversation with Kai and Vale in order to catch a glimpse of the blur of colors that were her son and two friends. Vale groaned.

"Seriously," he said, "you would think that those two were children, too."

Kai smiled wistfully. "I wish that I had their energy and imagination. I used to, but... I grew up."

Irene nodded. "I'd occasionally get to goof off, when I was much younger I would read fairy tales from the stacks of the books in the Library and then roleplay all of them, completely on my own."

"That must've been amazing to watch," Kai grinned, "me, I had a small group of friends who would help me play pranks on my uncles' assistants."

Then he shook his head, laughing. "I can't even  _begin_ to tell you just how many times I've had to apologize to Li Ming."

Vale frowned. "Those were your ideas of  _fun?"_

"We were  _children,_ Vale," Irene said, "much like Gabe is now. The world is so mysterious and wild, especially at that age."

Kai chimed in: "Surely you had  _fun_ as a kid, Vale."

"Not necessarily," Vale said sharply, "the most 'fun' I had was whenever I got to spend my time with Helene, and even then, we never did much more than pick flowers and talk."

" _You_ picked flowers with your cousin?" Kai asked incredulously, "really?"

Vale nodded. "Indeed. Sometimes, we would simply head out to the meadow next to her family's manor and we would sit and talk for  _hours_. We'd pick flowers, and..."

He trailed off suddenly, realizing just how personal some of his childhood memories were.

"And?" Irene prompted, " _and_ what?"

"I would... I would weave the flowers together to make little crowns, often just big enough to fit on our heads and no one else's."

Irene smiled. "That's so sweet, Vale."

"Your childhood wasn't  _that_ pathetic," Kai added, "you knew how to have a good time, Vale-style."

"I... Suppose so."

Just then, Irene felt a small hand tapping at her leg. She looked down and saw Gabe, who was looking up at her with wide, imploring eyes.

"Mom, Dad, Uncle Vale... Play with us?"

Irene shot a glance at Kai, who nodded.  _Of course._

Then all heads turned to Vale, who shrugged.

"You know what?" he said, "fine. Let's do this."


	48. Love Never Dies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CharnaBelle suggested this awhile back, in the comments of "Footsteps." I've been meaning to write this for some time now, and when it came up in my shuffle, I finally sat my butt down and wrote the entire darn thing.
> 
> Set anytime after "The Lost Plot."

Irene was unsure of what had happened, or when. But some way, somehow, she had fallen in love with Kai Strongrock.

Yes, she had been attracted to him before, but that had been different. He was kind and witty and had an air of youth about him... All of that was enough to attract just about anyone's attention, if his extremely good looks hadn't done so already.

And yet here she was, almost entirely convinced that somehow, she had allowed herself to fall in love with a young dragon prince, her former apprentice.

She couldn't tell him.

In fact, she couldn't tell  _anyone_ , not if she wanted to stay out of trouble. And yet she could not deny her true emotions, not when it came to an audience that solely consisted of  _her_.

She truly did love him, more than she should. Way too much.


	49. Still Hurting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And I'm still hurting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The final one from a couple of nights ago. If you want the specifics, I was listening to "Still Hurting" from the movie version of "The Last Five Years."
> 
> May be a little out of character, but... I went more for the song and it's meaning, y'know?

Irene looked at the letter again. That stupid, painful reminder that it was time to move on just as everyone else already had. She had known that something like this was only temporary-- there were rules which needed to be obeyed, and people counting on Irene to do so-- but that hardly softened the blow of the words that had been left for her.

 _My dearest Irene -_  
_I think it may be best if I simply left. It's not you, Irene, and it's not me. What it is is the simple fact that we both have our duties, me to my family and you to the Library. And us being together takes away from those._  
_It also puts us in danger, as you have mentioned before. I do not wish to put you in any further danger than you must be in, nor do I wish to get you in trouble with Madame Coppelia or someone far worse._  
_I love you, Irene, and I shall cherish the time that we spent together forever._  
_\- Kai._

Irene took a deep breath, biting back the loud sob that threatened to emerge from her throat. It had been about a week since Kai had left her that note, a week since he had up and left in order to attend his duties back at his true home. And yet the wound was still fresh to her.

She had written several response letters, all of which had been properly disposed of. And now, she sat down to write yet another one.

_Dear Kai -_

What should she say? Should she ramble on about every little thought and feeling that she'd had ever since he had left? Should she try and write something to convince him to return... And stay? Or maybe...

_Still hurting._

There. That should do it. It conveyed almost all of what she thought and felt... It was nearly perfect.

And, for once, she didn't throw the note into the fire. Instead, she folded it up with Kai's note to her and began with her regular nighttime routine.


	50. Soulmates?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Irene's had a long day. Thankfully, Kai's got everything covered for her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOT a soulmate AU; just a request from coffee-goth-princess over on Tumblr that I haven't put here yet.
> 
> My fiftieth piece for this book!!!

Irene was glad to be back on her street, with her home in sight. She'd had a long day, and she was ready to take a bath and go to bed. Or, alternatively, simply go to bed.

Kai had left the door unlocked-- Irene frowned, making a mental note to go over safety protocols yet again for him-- and she let herself in, mind focused solely on her bed and sleep. Sweet, sweet sleep...

And suddenly Kai was right in front of her. "I was beginning to wonder when you'd be back."

Irene sighed deeply. "Kai, I would love to talk with you, but I'm simply exhausted right now, so..."

"Bath and then bed," he recited, nodding, "I know. I already set up a bath for you."

Irene smiled a little. "I... Thank you."

She moved to give him a hug, which he returned.

"I may have also left a book and a glass of brandy in there," he murmured, "just in case."

Irene laughed. "You know, I think you're my soulmate."

"Just trying to be a good friend," he responded with (what he hoped was) an innocent shrug, "but... 'Soulmate' works for me."

Irene stepped back, playfully swatting his shoulder. But she could do nothing to hide the smile playing at the corners of her mouth.

"Thank you, Kai. Now, if you will excuse me, it sounds like I have a bath to get to."


	51. Mistletoe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At a Christmas party, Vale and Silver manage to end up under the mistletoe...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For an anon over on Tumblr: "Can I have some silver and Vale under the mistletoe please?"

It was important that Vale attended big parties, balls, and bashes. But as important as it was, he absolutely hated it. He had never been much of a socializer, and being around others simply because of his title hardly seemed to be the biggest perk of his life.

Hence the fact that he simply showed up at the parties and then left. Which was exactly what he was planning on doing at that very moment, at least until...

"Vale, dear."

The voice was all too familiar to Vale.

"Silver," he said, turning to face the Fae man, "to what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Well, it is my party," Silver whispered confidentially, "so it shouldn't be too much of a surprise to you."

Vale nodded, again making to move out. "Of course; that makes sense."

"I was hoping you would stay a little longer, though."

As he spoke, Silver reached to trail his fingers along Vale's arm. Vale didn't fight it, feeling really rather helpless against the pull and allure of this strange man.

"Well, I'm sorry," he said after a moment, "but I really must get going. Happy holidays and--"

"Vale, darling," Silver said, his voice a soft pur, "do you even realize where we are?"

"Your manor, here in London."

"Think harder, dear."

So Vale thought, though he came up completely empty.

"I'll give you a hint," Silver whispered, "you owe me a kiss."

Vale spluttered in surprise. "I most certainly do not."

Silver smirked, pointing upwards. "The plant says otherwise."

Vale looked up and saw it: mistletoe. He frowned, but said nothing. There was something rather tantalizing about the offer, though he didn't quite know exactly what it was. He had kissed plenty of other people before, men and women alike. It wouldn't be an entirely new experience to him. But kissing Silver... Well, it seemed like something entirely new and different to him.

"You know that you want to," Silver said, "just this once."

Vale snorted. "But maybe I--"

But he was cut off when Silver leaned in and kissed him. It was a brief yet passionate kiss, one that left Vale feeling... Something.

Oh, god.

"There," Silver said, pulling away, "that wasn't so bad now, was it? Now, you're free to go if you wish, and I will stay out of your hair until New Year's--"

"Oh, shut up."

And with those three words, Vale leaned in towards Silver and kissed him. Silver gladly returned.


	52. Sleep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Irene is concerned for Vale.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For percybleu over on Tumblr: The Invisible library and either of these prompts from The Fake Redhead, "How do you remember that? You were very unconscious at the time." / "Do you sleep anymore? " "I scheduled a nap for a week from next Tuesday." Thanks in advance!
> 
> I took care of the second prompt; the first one still needs fulfilling.

Irene was getting tired of walking into Vale's living quarters to find him wide-awake and looking completely exhausted. He needed to realize just how unhealthy this habit of his was, and just how much it made his friends worry for him.

"Do you even sleep anymore?"

Vale didn't look up from the obituary that he was reading. "Ah, yes. I have actually scheduled a nap for a week from next Tuesday."

"Haha," Irene remarked drily, "that's very funny, Vale."

At this point, her hands were settled firmly on her hips. She was not about to let Vale get away with this; he needed to get some sleep, and she would be damned if he didn't get some on her watch.

"Vale, c'mon!" she said after a moment or two of dead silence, "please, just... Help me out here. I'm concerned for you, Vale, and you are kind of spreading yourself quite thin here. You would be doing everyone a huge favor by getting some rest."

"Not until I've solved this case, Winters."

"Damn the case!" she shouted, "it won't be worth it if the next obituary in that very paper reads Renowned Detective Peregrine Vale Dies of Self-Induced Exhaustion!"

Vale snorted. "I assure you, Winters, that the situation is nowhere near as dire as you are making it out to be."

"Maybe not yet," Irene conceded, "But it definitely will if you keep up with these poor habits."

Vale looked up from his paper, fixing Irene with a curious gaze. "And why, pray tell, are you so concerned?"

"Because we're friends," she replied, "and friends don't let each other do potentially harmful things to themselves."

Vale nodded slowly, beginning to understand her concern for him.

"Would it assure you if I promised to head to bed sometime within the next ten minutes?"

Irene smiled a little. "Yes. Greatly."


	53. Snowball

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kai initiates a snowball fight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For coffee-goth-princess over on Tumblr.

Kai had disappeared. At first, Irene gave no attention to the fact; she and Vale were used to having Kai wander off, distracted by whatever caught his eye in any given moment. There were many times that she would turn around and realize he was gone, only to spot him all the way across the street, petting an animal or gazing into a storefront.

But this was different.

It was cold outside, and snowy. Not many people or animals were out. And they were in the middle of the park, just the two of them.

Where could he have possibly gone?

Suddenly, she saw a flash of movement off to her left. It was either Kai or an enemy; she hoped for the former.

She turned to see that her suspicion was correct: Kai was darting behind the nearest tree, holding a handful of snow.

"Kai..."

She could hear stifled laughter as he made it behind the tree. Seriously, was he five?!

And then she realized. He had a snowball. And he fully intended on using it against her.

"Kai... Don't you dare throw that snowba--"

Splat. Snow all over the front of her heavy coat.

Irene sighed loudly. "Goddammit, Kai!"

The words had hardly come out of her mouth when another one hit her, this time on the skirt.

Alright. This was war.


	54. More Cuddles

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More cuddles, again requested by coffee-goth-princess. Love ya! 💜

It was in the middle of the night when Irene was awoken by a knock at her bedroom door. It could only be one person, unless someone had broken into their flat, a thought which Irene quickly dismissed. It had to be Kai.

"What is it?"

She didn't care how sleepy and irritable she sounded; she was, and she wanted Kai to know it.

Kai stepped inside, sheepishly. "Hey, 'Rene. Sorry. But... Could we cuddle?"

"You come in here and wake me up..." she began, drowsiness and frustration all over in her voice, "just to cuddle?!"

Kai nodded. "Again, sorry."

Irene chuckled a little before putting some serious thought into it. It was kind of chilly, and it had been awhile since they'd last had any quality time together. And she was absolutely exhausted.

"Fine. Come here."

Kai grinned and bounded over to her bed, quickly getting settled and putting his arms around her.

"Love you, 'Rene."

She smiled, already falling asleep once again. "Love you too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requests are always open, by the way!


	55. Wedding Talk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Based on a Post by incorrectinvisiblelibraryquotes on Tumblr, and an additional conversation we had over said post.  
> May have sequels later.

Kai was absolutely smitten with Irene, and he had been for several years now. And, at this point, he knew that the feeling was at least partially mutual, given the fact that they had been a "thing" for a majority of the time that they had known each other. So maybe it was time to... Take the next step.

"Strongrock?" Vale asked, breaking into Kai's thoughts, "is something on your mind?"

"Irene and I are getting married," Kai blurted out, "you wanna be our best man?"

Vale blinked. That was hardly the answer he had been expecting, nor was the proposition something he had considered to follow. Once he got over it, though, another question entered his head.

"Would I get in trouble with either of your... Organizations?"

Kai frowned, clearly thinking hard on this. He didn't quite know what would happen to Vale if either the Library or his family found out about this... But he knew that he and Irene would stick up for Vale, no matter what.

"... No?"

"You don't answer a question with a question, Strongrock," Vale chided him, "but... God, yes. I would love to be your best man."

* * *

"What color should I wear?"

Irene glanced over her shoulder at Kai, frowning slightly. "How should I know?"

Kai sighed, reaching to investigate a nice, dark suit. "Well, we should match, right? For our wedding?"

"What wedding?"

No response from Kai; he was a little too preoccupied with his outfits. Irene turned completely around and walked over to him. Putting her hands firmly on her hips.

"What wedding, Kai?"

"Ours," he answered, not looking up, "obviously."

Irene frowned. "You've never mentioned any such thing to me, let alone ask--"

Kai dropped his suit suddenly. "Oh my god. I forgot to ask."

Irene had to cover her mouth to keep from laughing. "Yes, you did."

"So... Marry me?" he asked her, "please?"

He didn't mention the fact that he had already nominated a best man for the occasion, though he felt that she definitely wouldn't object to his choice.

Irene had to think for a second before deciding: "Fine. I'll give it a shot."

Kai broke out into a wide grin, reaching to grab her into his arms for a big bear hug.

"Love you, 'Rene."

"I love you, too."


	56. You + Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You + Me = Baby.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For an anon: "Can I have Irene x Kai "you + me = baby!" please? 🖤"
> 
> May be super-OOC and cringy. Also doesn't exactly follow my Gabe timeline.

Irene was no mathematician, but she did know that her cycle was late. Way late. She was no doctor, but she knew what it potentially meant for her. She was no ordinary humam, but she knew that it was always a possibility... And that she needed to find out the truth as soon as she could.

* * *

 "Irene!" Kai called, "I'm home!"

Irene sat up straight, nearly knocking her head against the headboard. "I'm in the bedroom!"

She could hear the sounds of Kai taking off his shoes and coat before she heard his footsteps, steadily making their way to the bedroom. He entered a moment later, looking a little shocked to see her sitting there.

"What are you doing in here?" he asked, sounding slightly concerned, "you're usually..."

"In the front room, I know," Irene replied, somewhat impatiently, "but I was tired, and I wanted the option to fall asleep if I felt like it."

"You couldn't just fall asleep on the couch?"

"No," she responded, "couches aren't meant to be slept on."

"I beg to differ--"

Irene held up a hand to silence him. "I do have something to talk to you about, though. Something that's... Not to be taken lightly."

Kai perched himself on the edge of the bed. "I'm all ears."

"I... I took a test today," she began tentatively, purposefully going for the vaguest possible way to say it, "one that gave me some potentially life-changing results."

Kai raised an eyebrow. "Sorry, but... I'm not quite understanding what you're saying."

Irene sighed. Of course not. Because when can I go all vague and have him understand me still?

"A pregnancy test, Kai. Okay? I peed on a stick and it gave me my results."

Kai's eyes widened a little. "You're... You're kidding, 'Rene."

Irene shook her head. "I'm being dead serious right now. I'm pregnant, Kai."

Kai looked about ready to freak out in some way or other. He didn't know whether or not to yell, shout, ramble, or just remain silent. When he had left Vale's earlier, he had not expected to come home to this.

"And to think that I thought you had taken some dorky little math test," he joked weakly.

Irene smirked. "Yeah... You + Me = Baby."

Kai snorted (loudly) before moving closer to her, wrapping a gentle arm around her shoulders. "That may be one of my new favorite equations."

Irene rolled her eyes at his cheesiness, but said nothing about it. She just leaned against his chest, closing her eyes and allowing herself go fall asleep, feeling entirely safe in the arms of her loved one.


	57. Waterloo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally facing my Waterloo.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I kind of challenged myself to see how many fics I could write while listening to certain ABBA songs on repeat. Most of these are SilVale, because, as notquitebroken and I discussed over on Tumblr, ABBA is flamboyant (god, I love that word!), as is Lord Silver. And, according to her, ABBA and Queen are pretty much the gods of LGBTQ+ anthems. But this first one is KaIrene, because when I began this one several nights ago, SilVale hadn't even technically passed through my head at the time.

Irene had several reasons why she couldn't be with Kai. She was his mentor. He was a dragon. She was a Librarian. On and on and on. It wasn't that she  _didn't_ want to give it a shot; she would have loved that more than just about  _anything._ But there was such a thing as becoming too invested in a person, or in a relationship, and she felt that she would end up doing just that if she allowed herself to be with him. It was simply too dangerous for her.

And then all hell broke loose after their entire experience with Qing Song and the members of her court, and Kai had resigned his post... That seemed to be enough for Irene to surrender to.

* * *

Kai had fallen in love with Irene long ago, not terribly long after they had first met. It was fairly easy for him to fall for her: she was smart, beautiful, and resourceful. Spending time with her as her assistant had not helped matters much: he had gotten to know her a lot better, and had found several  _more_ amazing things to add to the list.

At first, he had tried to deny the true emotions behind things. Dragons simply weren't the type to get overly sentimental, especially not over  _people._

But still, time wore on, and Kai realized the truth: he had grown really rather attached to Irene. So much so, in fact, that he was almost positive: he had somehow fallen completely in love with Irene Winters.

* * *

It was a quiet evening. The sun was beginning to set and it was nice and warm outside, with the occasional breeze. It was the perfect evening, in Irene's opinion. It would have been nice to find a bench in the park and sit there with a good book.

Or, in the case of that very day, Kai.

Kai had his arm wrapped around Irene's shoulders, and she was leaning on him.

Fairly normal activity for the two of them. That is, until Kai broke their blissful silence.

"Irene?"

"Mmm?"

He cleared his throat, a little awkwardly. "I was wondering... Is it okay if I told you something?"

She chuckled, moving to face him. "Yes, Kai. Of course. What's on your mind?"

Kai took a deep breath in. "I... I wanted to say that I love you."

Irene'st breath hitched.  _Oh, god, no..._ The sentence that she had been trying  _so hard_ to avoid was now out in the open. Those three words conveyed that there was  _more_ to their relationship, that actual  _emotions_ had somehow gotten involved. And that would  _not_ make things easier when it came to ending things, as was inevitable.

"Kai... I..."

He put a finger to her lips. "Don't say anything. Please, Irene. I know what you're going to say, but... Can't we just have this moment?"

Irene smiled, kissing him. "Yes. We can."

 

 


	58. Angeleyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Don't look too deep into those angeleyes.

Vale happened to look over at the exact moment that Silver fixed Irene with  _that_ look, the very look that he had given Vale several times in the past. It was mainly hunger; hardly much genuine  _emotion_ showed in those eyes of his. But that didn't mean that they didn't make  _others_ feel, Vale reflected bitterly. After all, just how many times had he fallen for that gaze?

Hell, he was falling for it even now, when it wasn't even being directed towards him.

As for Irene, she seemed to be handling the situation with a grace and dignity that Vale hardly seemed to have. Not around Silver, at least.

Vale turned away. He had to; there was no use in returning to the arms of that liar, that cheat, that... Downright  _bastard._

No use at all.


	59. Mamma Mia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just one look and I can hear a bell ring; one more look, and I forget everything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was the first ABBA song that made me realize "Oh my gosh... This is about Silver and Vale!" and... Oh, gosh, I'm going way downhill. XD

It was Vale's first time at one of Silver's parties. That is, his first time since he had made it official: he no longer wanted anything to do with the Fae. He still held strong feelings for him, but he had tried to channel it into feelings of contempt. So far it was working. Somewhat.

The more time he spent away from Silver, the more he realized just how toxic the man was. How much he needed to escape. Silver was a flirt, and a cheat, and he was able to pull glamours on just about anyone.

And tonight would be the real test.

Vale entered the huge manor, making his way to the large ballroom where Silver hosted all of his parties. The room was already full of people, all doing just about everything imaginable. He scanned the room for Silver.

 _Far corner,_ Vale noted when he saw the ambassador,  _preoccupied with some other guests. Good._

But he didn't look away. Instead, he studied Silver from afar, remembering little details about him as he did so. Finally, he forced himself to focus on the opposite wall, which contained the tables full of food and drink.

He began to make his way over there, with only one thought on his mind:  _This may be harder than I initially thought it would be._


	60. The Name of the Game

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I was an impossible case; no one ever could reach me. But I think I can see in your face, there's a lot you can teach me...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can tell that I wrote this at one in the morning. Sorry.

Vale knew that Lord Silver had for more experience than he did. The Fae practically  _oozed_ sex, whereas Vale only had a few kisses here and there. And not even  _pleasant_ ones, he reflected.

At the very least, they were nowhere near as pleasant as the few that he had already received from Silver.

"Ah," Silver's voice announced loudly as he entered the room, "if it isn't the Earl of Leeds himself."

Vale winced. He hated that title.

"Please... It's just Vale."

"Vale," Silver tried, nodding a little, "alright, then. What brings you here,  _Vale?"_

Vale took a deep breath in. There was no going back once he said what he was about to say.

"It is stupid, and foolish, and quite frankly, a huge mistake," he began, going for a more outright angle, "but somehow, you have made me... Feel things that I have never felt before."

Silver threw back his head and laughed. "Is that so?"

Vale nodded, feeling somewhat shy and awkward now. "Yes. And... You seem to be the only person in all of London that I know who is even somewhat experienced in... Whatever this may be."

Silver nodded again. "That makes some amount of sense, yes. Now, what questions do you have?"

Vale frowned, thinking on what his first question would be. There was so much that Silver could teach him... But what did he wish to learn first?

"How much of the persona that you put off... How much of that is simple Fae glamour? Is there any chance that glamour is the only reason that I am, against all odds, somehow attracted to you?"

That one came completely out of the left field; it wasn't necessarily one of Vale's original queries. And he had  _not_ intended on being so upfront and brutally honest about his feelings. But it had come out nonetheless; there was no going back now.

Silver laughed again, moving closer to the young earl and taking his hands. He then leaned in and kissed Vale.

When he pulled apart, he studied the human. "Does that answer your question?"

"I... Maybe," Vale said tentatively, "at the very least, it helped me on a few points."

"Good."


	61. One of Us

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The final ABBA-inspired piece that I wrote last night. No guarantee that this is the last one completely, though.

Vale hadn't expected for the breakup with Silver to be  _this_ hard on him. And yet somehow, it hit him harder than just about anything else had ever done. He had never been emotionally involved in anything, or with any _one_ before. Now that he had, he was unsure of just about anything and everything.

Getting away from Silver while he could had been his best option, Vale had to remind himself. Silver was Fae, and Fae were no good. Lies, cheats, and glamours... Those all tended to spell out trouble, in Vale's experience.

But now that he was free of Silver, he felt somewhat empty, as if his entire existence had somehow always orbited around the stupid, obnoxious Fae.

He refused to think that way. He could be his own person; he was not some desperate damsel from one of those juvenile romance books.

Still, though, he couldn't help but wonder: if being with Silver was such a big mistake in the first place, why did he feel that he had made an even bigger one by leaving him?


	62. Breathe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A request from coffee-goth-princess over on Tumblr.

Irene frowned, looking at Kai. "Just breathe, okay? It's not like you're the one currently having a baby."

"I know, I know," he said, sounding only slightly apologetic, "I'm just... A little freaked out right now, okay?"

Irene reached over to put a hand on top of his, giving a weak smile. "I know. I'm a little freaked out, too."

"We're going to be parents..."

"Yeah," she said quietly, "things are going to change. But, Kai, if anyone's got this parent stuff in the bag, it's us."

Kai looked at her, curious. "What makes you say that?"

"You were a part of the Library for some time," she said, "you know just how far Librarians would go to acquire certain books?"

He nodded.

"Well, it's like that. But with a human being instead of a book."

Kai chuckled a little. Leave it to Irene to connect everything to literature in some way or another, even her own kid. That was part of why he loved her so much.

He leaned down to kiss her forehead. "I love you, 'Rene."

Irene simply nodded. She would have time to tell him that she loved him in return later on.


	63. Bold-Faced Lie

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For an anon on Tumblr.

"Well, that was a bold-faced lie."

Kai glanced over at Irene. "What do you mean?"

Irene huffed impatiently. "Kai..."

"Okay, okay," he relented after a moment, "so maybe I went outside for a little while. So what? It was five minutes, Irene, and I never left sight of the house."

"You're sick, Kai," she reminded him, "need I remind you that you have been overpowered by others, even when you're in peak condition?"

Kai pouted. "'Rene..."

"You know I'm right. Besides, I care for you too much for you to go around doing this, alright?"

"C'mon. I'm fi--"

He interrupted himself with a loud sneeze. Irene shook her head, trying to hide a smirk.

"This is exactly what I'm talking about," she said, "now come on. Let's get you into bed, and I can get you some tea."

Kai groaned, but he obliged anyways.


	64. Hypothermia

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For coffee-goth-princess over on Tumblr.

"You know, body heat's the best way to stop hypothermia."

Irene looked over at Kai. "What?"

"You were just out there for five minutes without any proper winter gear," he pointed out, "you're shivering."

Irene laughed, one loud disbelieving laugh. While what he had said was true-- the part about her being outside without any proper gear on, that is-- she despised the fact that he was still trying to make moves on her. Why snuggle up with him when she could take a nice warm bath, drink some hot tea, and then curl up in her fuzzy bedrobe with a book? Besides, she wasn't that cold... Or maybe she was. Bodies had a way of becoming numb when terribly cold, and she could hardly feel anything.

"Irene."

Irene knew that tone. It was the one she used whenever she wanted Kai to listen to her. The one she used when she was concerned for him but he was simply blowing it off.

"What?"

He held out his arms to her, and she begrudgingly stepped into his embrace. He was warm, warmer than any of the other options she had considered earlier.

Fine. She would just take that bath later. For now, she decided, she could allow herself to spend time in Kai's arms.


	65. Lullaby

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For an anon over on Tumblr.

Irene groaned, gazing down at Gabe. Why couldn't he just go to sleep?! It wasn't that hard, in her opinion, especially not after Gabe had been born.

And then there was the sound of the door opening and closing downstairs, and then Kai's footsteps coming up the stairs. As he often did nowadays, he poked his head into the nursery first.

"Hey."

Irene didn't respond; she simply continued to bounce Gabe gently in her arms. Kai knelt down next to her, gently taking the young boy from Irene's arms.

"Having trouble getting him to sleep?"

Irene nodded. "Yes. He's been wide-awake for hours, and I can't do anything about it."

Kai chuckled softly before focusing on Gabe. And then he began to sing a lullaby in a soft, gentle voice.

"Frére Jacques, Frére Jacques, dormez-vous? Dormez-vous?"

Gabe yawned, blinking sleepily. Irene watched on, astonished. Kai could sing. And... It seemed to be working.

As he sang, Kai slowly rocked Gabe back and forth in his arms, adding on to the lulling effect on the baby. And, suddenly, Gabe's eyes closed... And they stayed shut.

Irene looked at Kai. "How the hell did you do that?"

Kai laughed. "I have a big family, remember? Brothers and sisters and nieces and nephews... I've had enough experience to help with my own son."

Irene smiled at him. "Thank you."

Kai nodded, already standing to put Gabe in the bassinet for the night. Once he made sure that his son was snug and cozy, and unlikely to wake up again, he helped Irene up from the floor.

"You look just about ready to fall asleep right here, right now."

"I feel it," she said bitterly, "thankfully, it won't take that long for me to fall asleep."

Kai grinned, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "I know."


	66. Gabe's First Birthday

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested by coffee-goth-princess over on Tumblr.

Irene and Kai stood in the doorway of Gabe's nursery, gazing in at the little boy. It was hard to believe that he was almost a whole year old. It literally seemed like they had just met him for the first time, holding him in their arms and staring, amazed, at all of his tiny features. And now...

"He's almost one," Irene murmured quietly, "that's... That hardly seems right."

Kai chuckled softly, gently squeezing her waist. "I know."

Irene moved over to where Gabe was sleeping, gently pushing some of his dark brown curls out of his face and leaning down to kiss his forehead. "Good night, Gabe."

* * *

 There were many reasons that Irene and Kai had opted to have a really minor party for Gabe. One being that the only person they could think to invite was Vale. Even then, it couldn't necessarily be considered a "party;" it was just an ordinary get-together centered around the young boy.

Speaking of...

Gabe was sitting in Vale's lap, cooing and gurgling excitedly up at his honorary uncle. Vale, much to his credit, actually paid attention to the young boy, speaking back and interacting with him.

Irene watched all the interactions with a small smile, preparing to jump in if need be. But Gabe and Vale seemed to be getting along just fine.

It was odd, seeing just how much everyone had grown in the past year or so.

But she was excited to see how else things would change in future years.


	67. Words of Affirmation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt from coffee-goth-princess over on Tumblr.

"You look cute with a baby bump!"

Irene scowled at Kai. "You're just saying that to be nice."

"No," Kai countered, "I truly believe that you look--"

"And if you call me 'cute' or 'adorable' ever again, I'll..."

She paused, looking for a somewhat decent threat to give him. And coming up empty.

Kai wrapped a gentle arm around her waist, kissing her temple. "I was going to say absolutely beautiful."

Irene blushed slightly. "Really?"

Another kiss.

"Of course. I love you, Irene, and I love this baby of ours. I love you both more than anything in this world... Or any of the other worlds, for that matter."

Irene gave a watery smile, burying her face in his chest. "I love you too, Kai."

Kai smiled, wrapping his other arm around her and holding her close to him, never wanting to let go.


	68. Teething & Fever

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gabe is fussy. Irene freaks out. Kai is there to help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another request from coffee-goth-princess over on Tumblr.

Irene was completely and utterly panicked. Gabe was screaming and crying, loud and long. He had been doing so for somewhere around three hours now.

And it had been like this for the past day or two.

Irene knew that he was going to be grumpy a lot, especially now that he was teething. His first tooth had come in a little over two weeks ago, soon followed by the next one. He hadn't been the smiley little boy that she was used to, not since then. And she had to pay for it.

But, for whatever reason, the past few days had been the worst.

"Still having troubles?" Kai asked, poking his head into the nursery, "here, let me see..."

"No!" Irene snapped, "I... I've got this, okay?"

Kai looked from her to Gabe, concerned. "I bet you didn't realize he had a fever, 'Rene."

"What makes you say that?"

"Irene," he said, putting a hand on her forearm, "I have never seen his face so pink and flushed."

Irene shook her head. "He was-- he still is-- screaming and crying like crazy."

Gabe suddenly quieted down, going from a scream to a whimper in .5 seconds flat. After a moment or two, his face returned to its natural coloration, give or take a slight pink flush. It was just as Kai said.

Irene blanched. Damn it all, he was sick and teething... And she was still trying to get used to being a mother. Period.

Kai gently took Gabe from her arms, holding him close to his chest. "Let's go see what we can do for you, huh?"

Irene smiled a little, standing alongside Kai before running ahead to get what she could in order to help her son.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requests and prompts always open! Either in the comments here or visit kai517-teenwriter.tumblr.com and drop by my ask box!


	69. Farewell

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A request for my friend Jayde, who wanted to see Silver seeing baby Gabe for the first time. This ended up turning into something focused more on Silver and Vale, with Gabe just... There. Sorry.

"I say you ditch the baby and come with me."

Vale looked up from his paperwork, shocked at the sound of the voice. He knew that voice all too well.

"Silver," he said softly, "how did you get in here?"

_Maybe Winters's Library ward has failed somehow... Or maybe it just wasn't strong enough to hold Silver back._

He wouldn't be terribly surprised if  _that_ was the case. Not much could prevent Silver from doing whatever he wanted.

"Your housekeeper let me in, dear Vale."

_... Or that._

"Oh," he said simply before returning his attention to his work and his friends' young son, "well, then. It was nice seeing you again. Farewell."

Silver pouted. "Vale, dear. Is that any way for you to treat an old friend of yours?"

"We are no longer  _friends,_ " Vale spat, "or anything for that matter. Besides, I have work to do. And, on top of that, I'm babysitting."

Silver smirked. "Peregrine Vale, babysitting. I never thought I'd see the day."

"He's a close personal relation," Vale retorted, "I wouldn't be doing this if he wasn't."

"Oh?" Silver raised an eyebrow, "so a nephew, perhaps?"

"Something like that."

Silver made his way over to the cradle where Gabe was nestled, fast asleep.

"Funny," he said, studying the young boy, "I don't recall there ever being any  _dragons_ in your family line. A few Fae here and there, but no dragons."

"Who said I was referring to my birth family, as opposed to the one which I have chosen?" Vale countered, "that's Strongrock and Winters's son."

Silver reached out to touch the young child, but Gabe immediately began to cry. Vale made a mental note to tell Strongrock just how proud he was of Gabe for that.

"I do believe that is your signal to leave, Silver."

Silver frowned. "Fine. Farewell, Vale."

"Farewell, Silver."


	70. Magic Lessons

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Someone on Tumblr requested a supernatural AU, with no specific fandom. So... I decided it'd be "The Invisible Library."  
> Since it's already pretty much a supernatural AU, I decided that Irene and Kai can do magic now.
> 
> This is cheesy and corny and doesn't make much sense. Sorry. (Written at sometime past eleven p.m., so my sanity was LONG gone).

Irene groaned, closing her eyes to try and focus on her spell. But nothing seemed to be working. Not for her.

"Do you need some help?"

She looked up to see Kai, a young man who she had seen around before, but never interacted with outside of bumping into him and apologizing profusely.

"I... You..." Irene took a deep breath, trying to collect her thoughts, "what I mean to say is yes. Help would be nice."

Kai nodded. "Have you been able to pinpoint the problem yourself, or do you need my help with that, too?"

"I can't seem to focus."

"You're only focusing on what you're trying to do, aren't you?"

Irene nodded.

"Easy fix," he said simply, "don't think of the spell, or what you're trying to accomplish. Instead, try and think of your happy place. You  _do_ have one of those, right?"

Irene nodded again. The local library.  _Obviously._

"Imagine that you're in your happy place," he said, gently guiding her hands into the position they needed to be in to perform the spell, "stay in there. And now... Speak the incantation."

Irene did so, and suddenly the room was full of light.

"You did it."

Irene opened her eyes. She  _had_ done it. She was so excited, she couldn't exactly help it when she threw her arms around him and kissed his cheek.

"Thank you!"

He smiled kindly at her. "You're welcome."


	71. Peanut Butter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For an anon over on Tumblr: "Vale laughing at Irene for weird pregnancy cravings?"

There were three jars of peanut butter scattered across the small coffee table in Vale's living room. All three were empty and laying on their sides.

Now, it wasn't terribly hard to tell just who the perpetrator was: only one person was home at the moment, and that was Irene. The (heavily pregnant) Librarian was resting on the couch, reading a worn-out copy of The Hound of the Baskervilles and eating from yet another jar. And while she would probably end up being pissed at herself for eating all of the peanut butter-- it was a common favorite between herself, Kai, and Vale-- she didn't care. Not in the moment, at least.

The first rays of sun began streaming into the room, and soon enough she could hear the sounds of Vale waking up and getting ready for the day. And then he made his way into the front room.

Irene expected his first reaction to be to chastise her-- again, peanut butter being a favorite wasn't exactly taken lightly-- or something. But, to her amazement, he began to chuckle.

"A little hungry, Winters?"

She stuck her tongue out at him, not caring how childish it seemed. "Maybe so. What's it matter to you?"

Vale laughed a little more. "I don't necessarily mind. The housekeeper might, though."

Irene shrugged a little before continuing to eat what was left in that fourth peanut butter jar. Vale just chuckled, shaking his head a little before beginning on some paperwork.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DISCLAIMER: do not eat a lot of peanut butter at a time, or on its own. It's probably not healthy for you.


	72. The Question

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For coffee-goth-princess: "Could you possibly write Kai and Irene reacting to Gabe asking if he will ever have any siblings?🖤🖤"

When Irene and Kai came to pick Gabe up from Vale's, their friend stopped them and made a quick apology, telling them that he was sorry. For what, they had no idea.

Well, not until the next morning, when Gabe looked up from his breakfast, making eye contact with Kai.

"Could I have a brotha? Or sista?"

Irene damn near spat out the tea that was in her mouth; instead, though, she swallowed it... Down the wrong pipe. She quickly excused herself as she began coughing loudly and multiple times in a row. Kai, on the other hand, managed to keep his composure, hardly batting an eye at the question.

"Why do you want that?"

Gabe rolled his eyes, like it was obvious or something. "Uncle Vale has brotha."

"So do I," Kai agreed, "but having brothers and sisters isn't always fun."

Being the baby of the family, and being the only one whose mother wasn't nobility... Well, Kai had had his rough days with his older brothers. But that didn't stop him from suddenly following the trail that Gabe had just started in his mind.

He loved children, especially when they were his own.

But he needed to stand firm. Irene had explicitly said that she didn't necessarily want any more children, and his four-year-old son wasn't going to cause him to try and sway Irene.

He would lose anyways, so why try?

Irene re-entered the room just then, seeming to be over her sudden coughing fit. Her face was slightly flushed, though. Kai smiled a little, putting his hand on top of hers.

"We got it all sorted out, 'Rene," he whispered, "don't you worry."

Irene smiled weakly. "Thank you."


	73. Caretaker

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Request from coffee-goth-princess over on Tumblr: "Pretty please can we see some more Vale help to look after pregnant Irene whilst Kai is away? 🖤🖤"

Vale could hear the pacing in the next room over and groaned. Yes, he had offered to let Irene stay as long as she needed-- she was pregnant, after all, and Vale knew that he could never forgive himself if something happened to either Irene or the baby because he had permitted her to stay in her home alone-- but still... Hearing her pacing was getting rather tiring.

He sat up straight, moving to join her in the sitting room.

"Winters?" he asked tiredly, "what in the world is going on?"

Irene sighed deeply, stopping to look at him. "Sorry. I just..."

"Couldn't get comfortable, missed Strongrock, and the baby was acting restless," he recited, "I know, Winters."

Of course he did. It wasn't as if it was Irene's first time doing a midnight pace. It also wasn't as if Vale was an extremely intellectual man, one who could tell many things at just one glance.

"Sorry."

Vale put his hand on her elbow, helping to guide her to the couch. "Stay here. I'll put some tea on, and then we can talk if you want."

Irene sat and Vale left to make the tea. A few minutes later he came back, carrying two saucers. Irene smiled gratefully at him, reaching to take one of them from him.

"Thank you," she said softly, gently blowing on it, "it means a lot to m--"

Vale raised an eyebrow as she trailed off, her eyes suddenly getting glassy with unshed tears.

"What?" he asked, "is something the matter, Winters?"

She shook her head. "No; everything is perfect. It's just... It sounds petty, I know, but you made it just how I like it."

Vale chuckled a little. His skills came in handy in that case, as did the fact that she stopped by often and was currently staying over for an undetermined amount of time.

"Thank you," she said again, her voice starting to quaver, "thanks for taking care of me, especially since Kai's gone."

"Anytime, Winters."

He knew how hard this was on her, Kai being gone while she was pregnant. He knew that she was trying her hardest to be okay with everything, and to not be too difficult of a temporary flatmate to live with. But he also knew that there would be times where something like this happened, and the dam would break.

"Vale?"

"Mmm?"

Irene gave a weak smile. "If it's not too much trouble... Could you give me a hug?"

Vale nodded, moving to sit next to his friend and wrap her in her arms. Irene rested her head on his shoulder, thinking for a moment.  
She missed Kai. She missed his face, his voice, his hugs...

And that was the fact that caused her to burst into tears.

Vale simply held onto her, not letting go or asking questions. Friends let others speak on their own time, right? Maybe.

Just maybe.


	74. Big Sister - part one

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For coffee-goth-princess over on Tumblr: "Since you did Gabe asking, could you possibly write Liza asking Vale and Irene if she'll ever have siblings? 🖤🖤"
> 
> [Liza is two, and Irene's already pregnant with Tommy, but it's still very early on and only she and Vale really know.]

Irene was braiding Liza's hair when the two-year-old asked the question: would she ever have a little brother or sister?

Vale, who was sitting nearby and examining something through his microscope, looked up at that, curious about how Irene would react. It had been about a month since they had found out that Irene was expecting yet again, but they had agreed not to tell anyone, not yet. Not until they were just a little further along.

Had it not been for that fact, he probably would have freaked out and shut the conversation down almost immediately. Or, at the very least, freaked out and changed the topic.

Irene simply chuckled, brushing aside Liza's bangs to gently kiss her forehead. "Maybe, little one. It'll take some time"-- a few months, to be exact-- "but there's a good chance that, yes, you'll be a big sister."

She knew that things wouldn't always work out. She knew that, sometimes, things went wrong. And she didn't want to give her daughter a false hope. Hell, she didn't want to give herself a false hope, not on this sort of matter.

Vale nodded, seemingly satisfied with her answer.

Liza turned to face her mother. "Oh-tay, Mama."

Irene smiled, reaching to take her daughter in her arms. "I love you, little one."


	75. Even MORE Cuddles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clingy Kai craves cuddles.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another request from coffee-goth-princess: "Pretty please could you do KaIrene “What … oh, I guess we’re cuddling now. Okay.” 🖤🖤"  
> She also provided the summary.
> 
> And yeah, I know; these cuddle pieces need more original names. Sorry.

Irene was lounging on the couch when Kai entered the room, looking slightly troubled about something.

"What...?"

He had taken a seat next to her, wrapping his arms around her and holding her close, even going as far as to lay his head on her shoulder.

"Oh," Irene muttered, "I... I guess we're cuddling now."

Kai just continued to hold her, ignoring her words. Irene sighed a little, tired of how often he did this. Even Gabe-- who was now three years old, and thus very hands-on and curious-- didn't act like this. Never.

"... Okay."

Fine. She could make time for him. He always did so for her; why couldn't she return the favor just this once?

And so she wrapped her arms around him, gently kissing the top of his head.


	76. Distraction

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For coffee-goth-princess on Tumblr.  
> I have several pieces to upload from Tumblr to here from this weekend; sorry it took so long to put them up. I also have two new pieces, never-before-seen. So... It may take awhile to get all of them up, but I'm working on it.

Irene frowned. "We're supposed to be working."

They both had some important paperwork to look at for the embassy, but Kai wasn't paying much attention to  _that_. Instead, he was laying flat on his stomach on the couch, staring intently at Gabe, who was fast asleep in has cradle on the floor.

"Kai," Irene said, voice firm, "we have papers to look through. Help me out here."

Kai sat up, meeting Irene's gaze. "Sorry, 'Rene."

Irene chuckled softly. "If I had my choice, he'd be the sole center of my attention, too. But it's  _not_ my choice; I've got work to do now, and so do you."

Kai nodded. "I understand."

He cast a long glance at his young son, smiling softly to himself. Gabe was one of the best things in his life.

"Once we're done with this," Irene added, smiling at Kai, "we have plenty of free time. We can sit and stare at Gabe for as long as we'd like."

Kai grinned, moving so that he was standing right behind her. "Okay. What's up first?"


	77. Shut Up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For an anon on Tumblr.

The first thing that Irene noticed when she opened her eyes was the throbbing pain that echoed throughout every limb of hers, seeming to gather and multiply inside of her head. Had she just taken a beating? Because that was how she felt.

The next thing she noticed was Kai, who was hovering above her with a concerned expression on his face. His hands held hers tightly, not wanting to let go of her.

The first thing that she  _heard_ , a few moments after coming to, was Kai's sigh of relief.

She  _must_ have taken a beating, or something worse. Kai wouldn't be this relieved if she hadn't.

"Irene!" he exclaimed, reaching to tuck some hair behind her ear, "oh my god... You're okay."

"I should be, yes. Tell me, what the hell happened?"

Kai chuckled. "You just get right to the point, don't you?"

"Yes," Irene said firmly, "now what happened?"

"I honestly have no idea," he said, "I wasn't there. But Vale said that there was some physical violence, and possibly even some shots fired, and he said you'd be fine but I was unsure; I thought you were a goner and..."

Irene smiled weakly at him. "Just shut up and kiss me, you idiot."

Kai chuckled softly, leaning down to do just that.


	78. When You're Next to Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For coffee-goth-princess on Tumblr.

Irene had forgotten the feeling of sharing a bed with someone. Especially Kai. It had been  _forever_ since she had last seen him, and now that he was back...

"Kai, will you... Would you sleepwith me tonight?"

She then noticed what she hadsaid, and quickly backtracked a little. "And I  _do_ mean just sleep. This time."

Kai chuckled softly. "Of course. I always sleep best when you're next to me."

Irene smiled at him. "Same goes for me."

He wrapped an arm around her, pressing a kiss to her forehead before gently guiding her towards the bedroom, ready for a good night's sleep.


	79. Kicks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was for a request by coffee-goth-princess: "Could you possibly write Irene feeling Gabe kick for the first time?"
> 
> So... I misread the request, apparently. I thought she asked for both Irene AND Kai (who, in my canon, didn't know about Gabe until he was five days old). So I wrote him in.  
> Going back and typing up the request here... I realized I was wrong. Whoops. But that doesn't make this any less cute and sweet and fluffy.

Irene was sitting on the couch and reading a book when she first felt the baby kick. She had felt the little one move around before, but this was the first time that she could distinctly tell that they were  _kicking,_ trying to grab her attention. She put her hand to her stomach, taking in the new feeling for a moment or two.

And then she started freaking out.

"Kai!" Irene yelled, "come here, quick!"

She could hear the sound of him running, fast, through the living room and up the stairs. He must've tripped on the last one, because she heard a muttered curse as the footsteps stumbled and then stopped before quickly resuming again and he ran into their bedroom.

"What's going on? Is something wrong? What do you--"

 _Great_. She had  _scared_ him, made him nervous for her and the baby.

"No, no," she said, "it's nothing like that; everything's  _fine_. But..."

Here, she took his hand and placed it on her stomach, right where the baby had kicked earlier. Their little one didn't disappoint: they kicked again, right where Kai could feel it.

His eyes widened a little as he looked at where his hand was, in between Irene's hand and her stomach.

"Oh my god..." he murmured, taking a seat next to her, "that... That's  _them._ That's our baby."

Irene nodded, smiling a little even as she felt her eyes begin to water. "Yeah. That's our kid."

Kai's entire face lit up and he threw his arms tightly around Irene, holding her as close as he dared. "Oh my god... I love you, 'Rene. And I love this little one, too.  _So much_."

Irene returned the hug, beginning to cry a little. "I love you, too."


	80. "Just Sleep"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Major kudos to sorryilostmyself over on Tumblr for sending me a whole bunch of prompts last night when I desperately needed some. I still need to fulfill three of them, but I did this one, so... Might as well post it right now!
> 
> Prompt: "Ok ok imagine this: Au where Irene is the dragon and Kai is the Librarian."  
> My mind immediately went to THAT scene in the first book, so I pretty much rewrote it. Same personalities and such; just job switch. XD

Irene was a good student. She had been separated from her family and her kind for five years, and during that time, she had done nothing wrong. And she sure as hell hoped that she hadn't tipped any of the senior Librarians off about the fact that she was... Different.

But yes, she was a good student, and determined to be an even better apprentice to the Librarian that she had been assigned to, a man named Kai.

Speaking of...

"I'm heading to bed," she said with a yawn, stretching her arms out far above her head, "a little sleep won't do me any harm, especially not after the day that we had."

"When you say 'sleep,'" Kai inquired, turning to face her, "do you mean  _just_ sleep?"

Irene flushed red, angered. "Of course I do."

Not that she hadn't done it before, of course. Not that she wouldn't necessarily  _mind_ partnering him, even for one night.

But this wasn't about pleasure and desire. They had a job to do, and besides, it would just lead to trouble for the both of them if she gave anything away. If anyone found out.

"Are you cert...?"

"Yes," she snapped, "I'm positive. We are adults, and we can handle ourselves as such. Besides, who knows how much trouble we could get in?"

Irene had both their interests at heart, she really did. Not the interest of lust, but of a need to somehow survive in their environment.

Kai groaned. "Fine. I suppose that I  _do_ have some studying to do."


	81. Stolen Kisses

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The last prompt that I wrote for last night, one from coffee-goth-princess: "Could you write Kai stealing kisses from Irene whenever Vale has his back turned?"
> 
> I have not answered this one on Tumblr yet, but I will post this link as my answer later today, when I get home from school.
> 
> Sorry that this isn't my best writing. Seriously.

Vale wasn't the fondest of any public display of affection. Irene and Kai knew enough not to do anything in front of him. Nothing  _terrible,_ at least. Of course, though, Kai couldn't help it. He loved Irene. He loved  _being_ with her. He wanted to show her that love. So he devised a system of sorts.

Every time that Vale turned his back on them, Kai would lean in and quickly kiss Irene. It hurt that he couldn't let it last any longer, but it was vital that they be able to do this without frustrating or angering Vale.

And so it went on for several months: Kai giving Irene brief, chaste kisses every other minute and hoping not to be caught.

Until one day, when they had all decided to go out to lunch and then see a show at the theater. Vale turned to grab his coat and cane, and Kai leaned in to quickly kiss Irene. That's when Vale spoke:

"By the way, I know what you are doing when I'm not looking. What you  _have_ been doing for the past few months."

Irene shot Kai a glance.  _Busted._

And busted they were. At least until Vale turned around, smiling a little.

"Don't worry, Strongrock," he said, "truly, I don't mind. I don't quite understand the  _purpose_ of kisses, but if you two do, and if you  _enjoy_ it... I'm not going to be the one to make you stop."

Kai looked at Vale, incredulous. "Really?"

"Yes."

Kai grinned, thanking his friend. Vale had done so much to help the two of them (alone  _and_ together), and he was grateful for that.

"Are we ready to go to lunch?" Irene asked, "our reservations are for ten minutes from now, and we don't want to get bumped from the list."

Vale nodded. "That sounds like a plan, Winters."


	82. Miracle of Miracles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> But of all God's miracles, large and small, the most miraculous one of all is the one I thought could never be: God has given you to me.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Takes place immediately after "The Lost Plot."  
> Put my music on shuffle a couple of nights ago and only wrote this one as I listened to "Miracle of Miracles" from Fiddler on the Roof. And then I fell asleep.

Kai smiled softly as he gazed at Irene, who had fallen fast asleep on the couch. After she had come to Vale's to supposedly see him off, they had eventually kissed, and that inevitably led to them talking for  _hours_ \-- long past when Vale himself had gone to bed-- up until they had completely exhausted themselves.

Irene, too tired to get herself back to the silence and loneliness of Warren Mews, had curled up on Vale's couch and fallen asleep right away. Kai, on the other hand, was still unable to fully believe or understand what had just happened. He sat on the floor next to the couch, watching Irene intently.

God, how he loved her. He was amazed that she had let herself do this, even if it was just for this evening. One evening was enough.

Though he couldn't help that he wanted  _more_ _._ So much more.

He brushed some curls out of her face, kissing her forehead. "Good night, Irene. I... I just wanted to say thank you for giving me this opportunity. I..."

He took a deep breath in. "I love you."

And with those words, he turned and headed towards the guest bedroom, ready to settle down for the night.


	83. Manifestation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An idea from my friend Jayde. I may expand upon it later.

The first sign showed itself when Gabe was only a day old. Heaven forbid, Vale had stepped out for a little while and Irene had decided to allow herself some rest.

Apparently, five minutes was long enough for Gabe to get frustrated at something or other. Unfortunately, Vale had left a glass of water on the coffee table, right next to the paperwork that he had to study for Inspector Singh. Gabe had his father's affinity towards the element of water, and this was the perfect target for an unreasonably frustrated half-dragon who was far too young to be able to hone his abilities.

When Vale re-entered the room, his eyes widened as he stared at the young infant, laying down in his cradle. Gabe stared back up at Vale with wide, curious eyes.

Vale studied the baby and the drenched papers, trying to figure out just  _how_ he had done it.

"Winters?" he called out, "you might want to... Look into this."

"What is it?" she asked, sleepily exiting the guest room and going into the living room, "is he hungry? Or..."

Irene stopped in her tracks, taking in the sight before her. She then put a hand to her mouth, stifling a loud laugh.

"Oh my god... What happened here?"

Vale groaned. "I left the room for a few minutes, only returning to  _this._ "

"Are you saying that  _Gabe_ did this?"

"You need to remember that you're not his only parent, Winters," Vale gently reminded her, helping her to sit on the couch near the baby, "he  _is_ half Strongrock, after all."

Irene sighed a little, scooping her son into her arms. "We've got a lot to learn about you, huh, bud?"

Gabe just gurgled in response. Irene laughed a little, gently kissing his forehead.

"I can't wait."


	84. Long Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For @luke-sama, who wanted Kai caring for Irene after a long, stressful day at work.
> 
> [Set anywhere after "The Invisible Library;" Irene is Librarian-in-Residence here. And before "The Lost Plot."]

Irene sighed as she shut the door behind her. She didn't care how loudly she had shut it; at this point, she was exhausted. She was tired from earlier, the long night that she'd had with Kai and Vale. Her head was slightly throbbing from the brandy that she had consumed the night before in order to be able to keep awake for as long as Vale needed her. And she was fed up with the novice who had been sent her way. At this point, Irene might as well have gone and retrieved the target book herself.

It definitely would have saved quite a bit of time.

"Kai?" she called out, "where are you?"

While she couldn't hear him, she figured that he was definitely home. His boots were still in their place in front of the main entryway. Besides, if he had left, he would have left her a note. He always did.

The young dragon showed up just then, already carrying a small tray with drinks for the two of them. Irene smiled at him, grateful and yet... Still utterly exhausted. Kai took a seat on the couch, motioning for her to come sit next to him. She did so, taking one of the piping-hot drinks.

"Herbal tea," Kai said, "hopefully should help you to de-stress."

"Thank you."

She gently blew on it before taking a cautious sip.

"Long day?" Kai asked her.

"Very," she agreed, "last night was no help, either."

Kai laughed a little. "I can see where that would be a bit... Problematic."

She groaned. "And then Kostchei sends one of his Librarians-- a novice, mind you-- to retrieve a book. Kai, imagine having to spend several long hours explaining every little detail of this London to a young man who isn't even paying any attention to the words that you are saying."

That was somewhat of an understatement; the Librarian in question had gotten up, walked laps around the room, picked everything up and fidgeted with it...

"Here," Kai said, "turn your back to me."

Irene raised an eyebrow but complied. Kai took her teacup and set it down before gently beginning to knead her shoulders a little, slowly moving on to massage her back. Irene could feel herself relaxing, the stress just leaving her body altogether.

After a moment, Kai finished. "There."

Irene turned to face him again, smiling. "Thank you, Kai. That was very much needed on my part."

Kai grinned. "It was my pleasure."


	85. Comforting Gabe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For coffee-goth-princess.

All that Kai could do was stare.

Irene had just went off to go to sleep-- she needed it, though she was loathe to admit the fact-- and left Kai with their son in the living room. Kai could hardly believe his eyes as he gazed at the baby, though he had already been aware of Gabe's existence for a whole day now.

It was weird to look at Gabe and to think that he was a father, that the small baby boy was his son. He had been gone for a few months, and when he came home... He came home not only to the woman he loved and his best friend; he also came home to the son that he was unaware of up until that point.

Kai loved him, though. More than just about anything else in every world. He loved getting to look at him intently for hours on end.

As Kai gazed at Gabe, though, the baby's face suddenly scrunched up.

Kai wasn't that experienced with young children, but he could sense frustration and a general feeling of being slightly upset coming from Gabe. He was about to cry.

Kai reached down to take his son into his arms, holding him close to his chest. "Hey. It's okay. I've got you. Your papa's got you."

Gabe looked at Kai, his little face going slightly less scrunched-up. He was curious.

And then he sneezed.

Kai had to chuckle a little; something about small animals and people making such loud sounds whenever they sneezed got to him.

Gabe, however, did not find this humorous. His face scrunched up yet again, and this time he actually started crying.

Kai frowned, quickly beginning to bounce the infant up and down in his arms. Irene was resting; the last thing that she needed was to be woken up by a fussing baby.

"Hey," he whispered, "hey. Shh. It's okay. You don't need to cry."

He lifted Gabe up so that he was resting on his shoulder. Gabe calmed down a little, the wails slowly becoming whimpers as he found comfort in the crook of his father's neck. His tiny hand found purchase at the neck of Kai's shirt.

Kai smiled softly, glad that he had finally gotten Gabe to calm down.

"I love you, Gabe," he whispered softly, "both you and your mother... You two are the best things in my life. I would never trade that for anything, and I will protect the both of you with my life. No matter what."

He didn't need to have something binding, such as Fae magic or the Language in order to know that he had just made a promise that he would keep.


	86. Clue(do)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While in the Library, Kai and Irene teach Vale how to play Clue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know why this one took me the better part of the year to write; it's literally not terribly good or anything... But I finally finished it last night, so that's what matters, right?  
> I mean, I literally started this BEFORE I even wrote "Comfort," so... It's old, okay? And it's from back when I was JUST starting to get used to the characters, so... May be accurate to their character, may not be.
> 
> Takes place immediately after "The Burning Page."
> 
> Also, this one was pretty fun to write, especially Vale just being clueless (ironically). I hope you enjoy it.

"It might take some time for Coppelia-- or anyone, for that matter-- to get to us," Irene said, "so... Is there anything you'd like to see or do?"

"I don't know," Vale replied, "it's  _your_ Library, not mine."

Kai leaned in to whisper to Irene. "Perhaps we could show him some of the mystery novels? Are there any of those rooms with a computer, so you can shoot an e-mail off to Coppelia?"

But something had already caught Vale's eye, something that  _wasn't_ books or computers. Sitting on one of the tables in the center of the room were a ton of board games, including (but, of course not limited to) a 1996-edition game of Clue(do). Apparently they didn't have those back in alternate B-395.

Vale made his way across the room, seeming almost  _eager._ And why shouldn't he be? It was a game that would definitely appeal to Vale's nature...

He picked up the box and began examining it. "What is this?"

"Ah, yes," Kai nodded sagely, "the classic game of Clue."

"What  _is_ it?" Vale reiterated, somewhat impatiently.

"It's a murder mystery," Irene cut in, "but condensed to a board, some die, cards, pawns, and human players."

"Could you maybe... Teach me to play?"

"Of course," she agreed, "Kai, could you set it up while I shoot off an e-mail to Coppelia?"

Kai nodded in agreement, taking the box from Vale and opening it. He pulled out the board and the pieces, beginning to set up as Irene pulled up the computer and logged on.

"Irene, which character would you like to be?" Kai called, "we've got Mrs. White, Professor Plum, Mr. Green..."

"I'll take Miss Scarlet," she called back over her shoulder, "now shut up and let me focus for a few moments."

"Vale?"

"That Professor Plum sounds like an interesting character," Vale conceded, "I suppose I'll take on that persona for now."

Kai shot a glance at Vale, raising an eyebrow, but reached to hand Vale the purple piece regardless. "And I'll take Mrs. Peacock. Now, let's teach you how to play while Irene's busy."

* * *

Once Irene had finished checking her e-mail and sending one off to Coppelia, she got up and joined Kai and Vale at the table. As promised, her stuff was set up near the starting point for Miss Scarlet. Vale was holding the instruction sheet and intently reading it; apparently Kai's attempts at explaining the game hadn't been enough for the detective.

What a pity; if Kai's explanations had been sufficient enough for Vale's taste, they might've been able to start the game right away. As it was, it would take over a full minute to actually get to the game.

"I have to ask," Irene asked Kai in a low whisper, "why Mrs. Peacock?"

Kai smirked, casually gesturing to himself.

 _Of course,_ Irene thought, fighting the urge to slap herself,  _the blue coloration, and the fact that peacocks are considered to be rather eccentric birds... Perfect for Kai._

"Now, let me ask  _you:_ why Miss Scarlet?"

Irene should have assumed that the question would be raised in return, but that didn't mean that she was terribly excited to reveal to Kai that she was  _always_ Miss Scarlet, and for the geekiest of reasons.

"I chose Miss Scarlet," Irene began slowly, carefully choosing her words, "for the very same reason that I chose the name 'Irene.'"

Kai raised an eyebrow before it suddenly hit him. He guffawed, causing Vale to look at him irritably.

"Sorry, Vale," Kai apologized before turning back to Irene, tone quieter now, "seriously? Sherlock Holmes?  _A Study in Scarlet_?"

"You'd be correct."

"But  _why?"_

Irene sighed, but chose a retort anyways. "I don't know; perhaps for similar reasons as to why you chose  _Strongrock_ and  _Winters."_

"I was under pressure, Irene!" Kai protested, "it's not like I deliberately  _chose_ everything that had book-related meanings and such."

"Not many people can translate languages-- even the simplest of translations-- under pressure, Kai," she countered him quickly, a smug smirk spreading across her face, "so that leads me to believe that you had been thinking of those names for a longer time than you're claiming."

"But seriously," Kai said, returning to his previous statement, "Sherlock Holmes?"

"Would you two pipe down over there?" Vale's voice cut into their debate, "I am very near to finishing reading these instructions, and then we can play."

Kai raised an eyebrow at Irene, a final challenge. But, other than that, no other communications were exchanged between them until Vale had finished.

"It sounds simple enough," Vale concluded after a few more minutes, setting down the instruction page, "how shall we determine who goes first?"

"Highest roll."

Kai pulled out three die, handing one to Irene, another to Vale, and keeping the third for himself. Vale immediately began inspecting the small cube with a keen curiosity, the sheer desire to  _know._ But if Vale kept up with this, they wouldn't get  _anything_ done, Clue-related or otherwise.

"That's a die, Vale," Irene explained hurriedly, "you roll it and whatever number of dots you get, you go that many spaces."

"Ah, so  _that's_ how this is determined," Vale whispered, "I was curious as to how that works."

Kai's jaw dropped. "Are you being serious right now? You don't know something like dice?"

The subtext, as Irene heard it, was ' _It's so simple! How do you not know?'_

"Here, Vale," she butted in before anything could get out of hand, "let me teach you."

Irene shook the hand with the die in it a little, releasing it so that it rolled onto the table in front of her. A perfect six looked right back up at her.

"Six! Try and beat  _that,_ Kai."

Kai rolled his die, too, landing on a five. "Close enough. Vale?"

Vale rolled his die, trying his best to imitate his friends' methods. "Two dots."

"Irene's got six," Kai said, sighing a little, "she goes first. Sorry, Vale, but it looks like you're going to be last."

Vale shrugged it off. It didn't really matter what order they went in, in his opinion. Besides, having them go first meant that he could sit back and watch, learning about the game along the way. That was his top priority at the moment.

Finally, it was his turn.

_Time to play._

 


	87. Meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Raziel and Liu Xiang meet Gabe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This idea was actually in my head for a little while now, and then I got the ask from coffee-goth-princess over on Tumblr and it was decided: I would write this piece.
> 
> Since I cannot access Tumblr throughout the school day (not on browser OR through the app, not on any devices... Believe me, I've tried), I have decided to write it and then either copy-and-paste to Tumblr or respond to the ask with the link to this piece.

Irene and Kai had  _just_ gotten Gabe to fall asleep when there was a loud knock at the door. But, while it was loud and impatient, she knew one thing for certain: it wasn't Vale. Vale's knocks were more spread apart. This was all in quick succession:  _knock-knock-knock._

Irene groaned. She could only imagine that it was some Librarian coming for help from the Librarian-in-Residence, since she  _had_ left her address in the packet that she had assembled so long ago. She should've told Charlotte to change it up a little, at least until she got back from her leave.

Or maybe she and/or Kai were in trouble for something. It wasn't like they didn't have a past that could easily catch up with them.

Kai was already halfway to the door when Irene realized that he was going to answer the door.

"What are you doing?" she hissed, "can't we just get some rest?"

Kai frowned, looking at her. "It could be a Librarian, needing your help."

 _Damn._ He'd had that thought, too.

"Or it could be an enemy," she countered quickly, "someone who's out to get us."

Kai rolled his eyes slightly. "I'll take my chances."

_Knock-knock-knock._

Gabe started crying loudly from the nursery. Irene sighed, standing up to get him as Kai got the door.

She was _not_ expecting to walk back into the living room to find Kai standing there with both her parents.

"Mother," she said quietly, "Father."

This was more than awkward. It had been  _years_ since Irene had last seen her parents, especially for an extended amount of time. They had all been within the general vicinity of each other years ago, with the peace conference in Paris, but even then they didn't see each other. And now, they were in Irene's home. The one that she shared with Kai and their son. Not only was she "living in sin," as Vale often chided, but she was living with a dragon. A big no-no in Library society.

How was she supposed to start even the simplest conversation with them?

(This got Irene to thinking: she hoped that Gabe would never have to feel that way about her and Kai. Never).

Kai glanced at Irene, looking rather curious and confused. Irene could read that gaze like a book:  _They're your parents; why can't you talk to them?_

Irene shook her head a little, trying to clear her mind of all awkwardness. These were her  _parents_ , and it shouldn't be that hard for her to interact with them.

"Please, have a seat," she finally said, "it's been a while."

Liu Xiang cast his gaze at Gabe, quiet and content in his mother's arms. "I can see."

Irene sighed. It had taken a little longer to get around to Gabe than she had initially expected, but that didn't necessarily mean that she was prepared for the moment.

 _Then again,_ she reminded herself,  _I wasn't necessarily prepared to tell Kai, either..._

"Mother, Father," she said, quickly recovering, "this is Gabriel Alabaster Strongrock-Winters."

Raziel leaned forward, studying what she could of the boy. "May I hold him, Irene?"

Irene reluctantly handed her son over to her mother, who looked absolutely  _eager_ to hold him in her arms. Liu Xiang kept his sharp gaze trained on Kai. Kai cowered slightly, unused to the sheer amount of intensity that was in Irene's father's eyes. He knew what the man was probably thinking. After all, if he were in Liu Xiang's place, he would probably already be freaking out. Big time.

Thankfully, the older Librarian seemed to know how to control his temper, retaining it to  _just_ the intense glare.

"Were you ever going to tell us?" Liu Xiang asked finally, the question directed at Irene though he was still focused on Kai, "there were no e-mails. No visits. In fact, if Coppelia hadn't clued us in that there might be good reason for us to visit, we may not have even come."

Irene's immediate response was childish, and petty. But it was her strongest comeback, at least at the moment. Before she could think it through, she blurted:

"Were  _you_ ever going to tell me that I was adopted?"

Both of her parents went slack-jawed at that. It wasn't necessarily the fact that she  _knew_ \-- Irene was a Librarian, after all, and had countless means of getting the information that she was after-- but rather, the fact that she had chosen to use  _this_ moment to address the fact.

"Oh, god," Irene muttered after a moment of absolute stunned silence, "I... I am  _so_ sorry. I didn't mean to bring it up like that."

Liu Xiang frowned. "How did you find that out?"

Irene couldn't just say "Alberich." Her parents probably knew of her encounters with the Library's enemy, but that never necessarily meant that she was supposed to just  _tell_ her parents about the experiences.

"Melusine told me for  _certain,"_ Irene hedged after a moment, "it's in my Library records. But before that... I had a seed of doubt planted in my mind."

"By whom?"

Irene swallowed back. "Alberich."

Raziel froze, holding Gabe slightly aloft in the air.

"Alberich?" she asked, " _he_ told you?"

"Somewhat," she said, "it was more of something that he strongly implied, leaving the rest for my mind to fill in."

 _And think and worry over for several weeks_.

Gabe began coughing, and Raziel returned her attention to her grandson, beginning to gently bounce him up and down and cooing at him. Even Liu Xiang seemed mildly intrigued by the young boy now.

Kai went up to Irene in that moment and gently put an arm around her waist, allowing her to lean into him a little. She smiled up at him before returning to watching her parents and her son. Her whole family was in one room together; she knew she had to treasure the moment as she was in it.

And that was exactly what she was going to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Does. Not. Feel. Natural. To. Type. "Mother and Father." All. The. Time.  
> But, y'know, Irene doesn't necessarily strike me as the type to "Mom and Dad" it, either.


	88. Contamination

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Irene is contaminated by chaos. Kai takes care of her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another request by sorryilostmyself on Tumblr.

Irene sighed. "Kai. I'll be fine. You go to Vale's; it's obvious that my contamination is causing you pain."

Kai was currently braced against the doorway, hissing in pain. "No... Way. I am not..."

Another wave of chaos. Pure and utter chaos. (How Irene had managed to get herself into this predicament, he had no idea).

"Kai. Go. Now."

He shook his head, reaching for her hand. And, god, it burned.

Chaos and order were never supposed to be this near to each other. Ever.

"Kai, I've tried using the Language," Irene said, "there's nothing for us to do now but wait. And it's no use having you here; I'm fine, and you're clearly not."

Kai shook his head. "No. I'm taking care of you, and that's final."


	89. Hangover

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anonymous asked: "Kai with a hangover and Irene making him drink some god awful hangover cure like raw eggs? 🖤🖤"

"For the love of god, Kai," Irene said, "just drink the damn thing already."

She was having far worse luck than she did when she tried to get others to do something. Even three-year-old Gabe was better at eating his vegetables than Kai was at taking this cure.

"I'll be fine without it, 'Rene. Honestly."

"Kai. You're laying down on the couch with an ice pack on your head and wearing sunglasses. How much did you even drink last night?!"

Kai groaned, turning to the side a little. "Mmm... Not much, 'Rene. Not much at all."

Irene frowned, thrusting the cup of raw eggs at him. "Just a little. For me."

He took one sniff and crinkled his nose.

"Kai..."

"Fine," he said, sitting up a little, "I'll take that god-awful cure. But only because I love you so much."


	90. Awkward

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Coffee-goth-princess wanted Gabe asking where babies come from. I provided!  
> I had quite a bit of fun writing this, actually.

"Daddy?"

Kai looked down at his five-year-old son, who was sitting on the floor in the midst of several books. He'd have to help clean that up later; while it made Irene proud that their son was a bookish young fellow, that didn't mean that she was more tolerant about messes. Especially messes consisting of books all over the floor.

"Yes?" Kai asked.

"Where do babies come from?"

And all of a sudden, Kai wished that Irene was there. He knew that she'd be able to handle this awkward situation with far more grace and dignity than he could. Which was fairly ironic, since Kai had never necessarily been shy about these sort of matters before.

"I... The storks."

Gabe looked up at his father, raising a curious eyebrow. "Stork?"

"A big bird," Kai explained hurriedly, "they bring mommies and daddies small babies to take care of and love."

"So... Stork brought me?"

"... Yes."

Thankfully, Gabe didn't question it. He just shrugged his shoulders and returned to his reading.

* * *

Later that evening, when Irene had arrived and Gabe was fast asleep, Kai explained what had gone down earlier that day.

"He asked you where babies come from?!" Irene exclaimed, "oh my god... What the hell did you say to him?"

Kai wrung his hands together, somewhat nervously. "The storks."

Irene busted up laughing. "Oh my god... Storks?! Kai..."

"What?"

She kissed his cheek. "You are a dork."

"Maybe I am," he conceded, "but I'm your dork."

"That you are," she murmured, "that you are."


	91. The Traveler's Mark - Irene & Gabe, part two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Irene and Gabe still need to get their hands on the book...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took far too long to write and post; I'm absolutely sorry.
> 
> And I'm happy; I got to mix two of my ideas together! I was planning on writing a separate one-shot for one of them, but it never seemed to WORK. Now I can tell that it was just my mind telling me to hold on, a bigger idea would come and mix the two perfectly together.
> 
> Also, yes: everything's pretty much going to go right for them. I don't know how to write any other way, really.

_I'm not about to let you fail._

Though Gabe had said these words, he was unsure of how to keep the promise that he had made to his mother. He had never been on a book heist before, and he was unused to the sudden pressure that it put on the two of them. It made him admire his parents even more... As insane as this was, they had been through situations that were much crazier.

He'd have to ask them to tell him some stories later. But for now... He had a book to help steal.

* * *

"Attention," a voice said over the loudspeaker, "the Newberry Library will be closing within the next ten minutes. Please complete all of your checkouts and make your way to the doors. Have a nice evening."

Gabe glanced at Irene. "Mom?"

Irene sighed. Sometimes, it was frustrating to have to explain every little thing to her son.

"We're staying, Gabe. Now that we're in, and we know the library from our little recon mission, there's no way we're leaving."

"What... What are we going to do, then?"

"We're going to wait, of course," Irene said, like it was obvious, "there's only ten minutes until the library closes; all we have to do after that is stay out of the way of any guards they may have stationed throughout the library itself... And hope that, if we  _do_ have an unwanted run-in, the people we come across are more susceptible to the Language than the woman from earlier was."

Gabe looked at her, curious. "Was that... Was that the first time the Language didn't work on someone?"

"You couldn't be further from the truth," she chuckled, "there are  _so many times_ that the Language didn't work on the owner of a target book, or on someone who was set on arresting me... Hell, there were even a few times that I tried to use it on Vale."

That caused the both of them to go silent, Irene trying not to think of how much crap she'd put her poor friend through... And Gabe trying to imagine his mother attempting to use the Language to bend no-nonsense Vale to her will, even slightly. It didn't matter that Gabe was sixteen years old; the image made him want to laugh out loud. But he had to focus on the task at hand now.

"Wouldn't someone notice us?" he asked, "if we stay after they lock the doors, wouldn't somebody realize that they locked two virtual strangers into the library and kick us out?"

Irene smiled, her eyes shining. "We have the power of the Language on our side, Gabe. The world is practically our oyster here."

"Alright, then."

He still had his questions-- when the power of the Language wore off (if it even worked on a person in the first place), just how many people would they have on their tails?-- but he kept quiet about it. He had to trust his mother. She deserved at least that much.

So now... They waited.

* * *

Irene beckoned to Gabe.  _Come. It's time._

Tentatively, Gabe stood to join her. He was unsure of what to do now that they were there... Why had she even taken him along on the heist? He had no clue what to do; he couldn't necessarily do anything to  _help_ that. He didn't necessarily want to be the teenaged boy who was constantly trailing his mother around, but... If it came down to it, he would definitely be following her, if only to get a sense of what the heck he was supposed to be doing.

So he followed her.

Irene led him back towards the lobby, keeping an eye out for anyone who could potentially pose a threat to their mission. When she deemed the area clear, she began to cross the room, headed straight for the heavy wooden door from earlier.

"Ray!"

She froze. Who had just called her name? Her  _true_ name? As far as she was aware, the only person who knew her name was Alberich. And, as far as she was concerned, he was  _dead_. There was no possible way that he was  _there_... Right?

"Mom?" Gabe whispered, "is something the matter?"

Irene shook her head a little, slowly turning to face the speaker. It was a man, looking to be just a little older than she appeared to be. He was handsome, with shaggy blond hair that fell into his face, covering piercing blue eyes. He came closer to her, reaching to take her in his arms.

"I'm glad to see that you're feeling better," he murmured, kissing her forehead, "though you should've had Jackie or Em come with you. I don't want anything to happen to my girlfriend."

She shot a furtive glance at the nametag on his shirt.

**Chase.**

"I know, Chase," she said softly, hoping to the high heavens that she was acting  _correct_ , "but you know me. I can't sit still for terribly long."

He chuckled softly. "No, you can't."

_Score._

"Now... Who's this kid?" he asked suddenly, "don't recognize you from anywhere."

Gabe swallowed back a little. "Benny. Benny Markin."

Irene smiled a little.

"I'm her little cousin."

Chase hardly hesitated before he let go of Irene and grabbed Gabe into a bear hug, too. "Been waitin' to meet you!"

Irene blinked. "You  _have_ _?"_

"Well, yeah," Chase said, "after all the high praise you've had for your 'favorite cousin' Bennett, I've been anticipating getting to finally meet him."

Irene nodded a little. "Alright, then."

"I'm finishing closing up," he said after a second, "if you'll just give me a few minutes, and then we can go out for dinner or something?"

Gabe shot a glance at Irene, who gave a slight shrug.

"I can close up for you," he said after a moment, "give you two some... Alone time."

Irene smiled to herself.

"Are we... Are you certain?" Chase asked, "it's a bit of a..."

 **"He's got this,"** Irene jumped in quickly,  **"you can trust him to close up for you."**

She had no idea if the Language would bind her for saying that he would close up when they both knew the reality, but she didn't quite care at the moment. They needed this book, and Gabe had found a way to help out a little. She just hoped that it worked.

Gabe watched as the Language did its thing on Chase, fogging his senses ever so slightly.

"Alright," Chase said, reaching into his pocket, "here are the keys to some of the doors. Others have automatic locks; you just need to make sure that they're completely locked before leaving."

Gabe nodded, taking the keys from him. "Thank you."

Irene went to hug her son. "I'll see you in a little bit. Maybe in the park across the way?"

Gabe nodded again, and Irene quickly pressed a kiss to his forehead.

"I love you," she whispered, "stay safe."

"You know I will."

* * *

Gabe was beginning to regret this. His mother was trusting him completely on this, and he had never done this sort of thing before.

He had let himself right into the archives as soon as Irene had left with Chase-- that also scared him; he knew that his mother was capable of handling herself, but that didn't mean that he couldn't worry-- and just as soon realized that he was essentially lost. There were no maps of the archive-- it was a constantly changing thing, after all, and it's hard to keep things straight when it's constantly moving around and changing-- so he had to rely on his own instincts. His not-so-very-good instincts.

He began to wander around the archives, hoping beyond hope that he would happen to chance across it, some way or another.

* * *

Irene hardly felt comfortable near Chase. Not that she didn't  _trust_ him or anything. But she was unused to the feel of someone other than Kai or Gabe at her side, unused to someone other than Kai holding onto her hand or wrapping an arm around her waist...

She spent the entire time ready to use the Language on him again if need be, and thinking one thing:

_God, I hope that Gabe's got this._

* * *

_There._

A cardboard sign on one of the shelves.

**Story drafts.**

That  _had_ to be where  _The Traveler's Mark_ was hidden. Gabe turned down towards that section, beginning to peruse it carefully. He had seen his mother do this at bookstores, looking specifically for a title that she was interested in. Surely that was a trick to getting what you were looking for. Including drafts of stories that you intend to help your mother steal for the Library.

All of the drafts were different. Some were in binders, others in folders, some in homemade covers, on and on and on.

Finally, a big maroon binder caught his eye. A piece of paper was in place with a small pocket on the side of the binder, and in neat handwriting it read  _K. Holt: The Traveler's Mark._

He reached out to grab it, opening it to check inside. He had found the typed-up version.

_Thank god._

Just then, he heard the door to the archive rooms open up and he froze. Someone had found him out.

"Gabe?"

Gabe breathed a sigh of relief. It was only his mother. He tucked the binder close to his chest and began to jog through the room, back towards the doorway. When Irene came into sight, he burst out grinning.

"I got it."

Irene smiled, too. "Good. Let's get going."

* * *

Once they were back in the Library, Irene shot off an e-mail to Coppelia briefly explaining the mission-- she knew that she was putting herself in danger of her supervisor's wrath by including her son in the report, but she also knew that there couldn't necessarily be a report  _without_ him, either-- before putting the binder in a large envelope and putting it into a dropbox.

If Coppelia needed her later, she knew where to find her.

For now, it was time for them both to get back to B-395. To get back home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haha... I enjoyed writing an easily gullible character like Chase.


	92. Witness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A request from sapphic--nerd on Tumblr: "Maybe some SilVale about what happens when Vale is trying to do some Actual Detective Work with Singh and Silver turns up? Does Singh know about them?"

"We have someone else here," Singh said, "says he witnessed the crime. I don't know how much I believe him on the fact, but any potential evidence would be of great help to us."

Vale nodded, steepling his fingers. "Alright. Let's see him."

The door burst open dramatically, and Vale sighed. He only knew one person who was capable of being so overly dramatic like that.

"Silver."

The Fae man grinned. "Vale, my dear."

Vale's face flushed red (it took a  _lot_ to make this happen) and Silver smirked.

"I am  _not_ your dear," Vale finally ground out, "what are you even doing here?"

The smug expression never left Silver's face as he crossed the room and sat on the table, right next to Vale. "I have a lead on this case, of course."

Vale turned to look at Singh, desperation clearly written on his face. But the inspector was hardly paying any attention to Vale, or his silent pleas. He was looking at Silver, trying to figure out exactly  _what_ was going on there.

Vale sighed again. "Alright, then. Tell us what you have."


	93. Hypocrite

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A request from coffee-goth-princess on Tumblr.

Irene was sitting up late that night, sipping tea and reading a book. Kai was seated across from her, looking absolutely exhausted.

"'Rene... Isn't it your bedtime?"

Irene looked up and snorted.  _He_ was asking  _her_ that?! It was hardly like  _she_ was the one who looked to be in desperate need of rest.

"What?"

"Kai Strongrock, you are a hypocrite."

Kai had to laugh a little at that, standing up and walking over to her. He extended a hand down to her. She looked at him inquisitively.

"Come to bed with me, then," he said softly, "you know I do a lot better when you're near me."

Irene smiled softly, setting her things down on the coffee table and taking his hand. "Fine, then."


	94. Stormy Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For an anon on Tumblr: "Could you possibly write some more Gabe fluff?"

"Mama? Papa?"

Irene groaned at the sound of her son's voice. It was the middle of the night, after all; Gabe should be fast asleep by now. As should she and Kai.

"Yes?"

Kai sat up a little, reaching over to hoist the young boy up into the bed with them. "What is it, bud?"

Gabe pouted slightly. "Storm."

Ah, right. Gabe didn't like storms. Irene silently cursed the fact.

"Big noise," Gabe continued on, "bright light. Rain."

Kai smiled a little. "You want to see something?"

"Thing... Cool?"

Irene met Kai's gaze. She knew what he was up to.

" _Very_ cool," she agreed.

Gabe grinned and nodded eagerly.

Kai chuckled before closing his eyes and focusing on summoning one of the spirits dwelling inside the rain. And then a bunch of the raindrops gathered together, forming a small hand. It hovered in the window.

Gabe's blue eyes widened, going between his father and the disembodied hand.

The hand waved at Gabe, who burst out laughing and waved back. "How you do that?"

Irene smiled. "Focus?"

Kai chuckled. "Talent."

Gabe moved from his father's lap into his mother's arms. "Mama."

"Gabe," she replied, kissing his forehead, "I love you, little one."

He snuggled up in her lap, already half asleep. "I love you, too."


	95. ?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For coffee-goth-princess on Tumblr: "Can you pretty please do platonic Irene and Vale for #1 ("I need a hug. Please.")?"

"Vale?"

Irene's voice, while soft and quavering, startled Vale. He jumped slightly before turning to face her.

"Yes, Winters?"

"I... I need a hug," she said quietly, before quickly adding, "please."

Vale studied her closely, gaze growing concerned. "Are you alright?"

Irene shrugged. "I... I don't know. I've been having bad dreams that really unnerve me, though."

Vale patted the seat next to him. "Sit. Tell me about them."

"They... They usually show me loss," she said quietly, taking the seat, "Kai dies. I lose the baby. You die. I die. You name it, I have likely dreamt it."

A few silent tears began making their way down her face.

"Winters," Vale said softly, reaching to take her in his arms, "you know full well that Strongrock and I would never allow _any_ of that to happen. Nor would you."

Irene raised an eyebrow, pulling away a little to look at him. "What... What exactly do you mean?"

"Exactly what I said: Strongrock and I care deeply for you. Nothing would ever happen to you, not on our watch. And that would require us to be alive."

Irene nodded, still crying a little. "True."

"The same goes for your little one," Vale added, "I know for a fact that, once he finds out, Strongrock will be completely enamored. I also know just how far the both of you would go for them."

Irene smiled weakly. "I... I suppose you bring a point."

"Of course I do."

That made Irene laugh, and Vale smiled softly before drawing her in for another hug, ready to hold on until she was perfectly fine once more.


	96. Worries

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For coffee-goth-princess on Tumblr.

"Kai?" Irene asked, "are you asleep?"

Kai groaned, turning to face her. "Not anymore. Something the matter?"

Irene sighed a little. "I miss Gabe."

"'Rene. He's only staying at Vale's for  _one night_. He'll be fine."

"I know, but..."

Kai frowned. He knew how protective Irene was of their son, and he knew that she couldn't be far from him for terribly long. Irene tended to get separation anxiety now, especially when it came to her little boy.

"'Rene," he said again, wrapping an arm around her, "he'll be perfectly fine. Vale's taking care of him."

Irene snorted. "Yes, very reassuring to know that our seven-month-old is in the hands of a childless bachelor who has no idea what he's doing."

"You trusted him to take care of  _you,_ " Kai countered, "back when you were pregnant with Gabe. And Vale seems to know more about taking care of Gabe than we give him credit for."

Irene groaned a little, snuggling closer to Kai. "Fine. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. For now."

"Does that mean you're going to relax and get some sleep?" Kai asked hopefully.

"I'll... Give it a shot."


	97. Star-Crossed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A request for sorryilostmyself on Tumblr, who wanted Irene disguising herself as a servant in Ao Guang's court and meeting Kai that way. This one took far too long for me to write. Sorry, fam.
> 
> And yeah, it was kinda fun to write such... Formal speech. XP
> 
> **I hope that this turned out okay. I am pretty proud of it, but at the same time... I don't know.**

There had been no warning. There never was any warning, really, just the usual instructions: get the book and get out. Try not to get caught.

That is how Irene ended up dressed as a simple maid, running errands and doing chores for the dragon king Ao Guang and some of the higher-ranking members of his court. She had yet to get a chance to obtain the book that she was after on this mission; she had been far too busy cleaning up or fetching drinks or doing some other tedious duty that came with the job.

But she hoped that she would get her opportunity that evening, when everyone else was either settling in for the night or far too preoccupied with the return of the dragon king's youngest son, a man named Kai. Irene was planning on getting out of Dodge long before he arrived and noticed that she was on the scene.

She had dealt with snobby princes before, and if she had her choice, she would never have to deal with one again.

Just then, the big palace doors opened, revealing a young man. And, damn it, Irene could feel her breath catching in her throat at the sight of him.

He was handsome, in a way that wasn't natural to some of the worlds that she knew, but it didn't feel  _fake_.

The man took a brief look around the room before his eyes landed on Irene.

"Good afternoon," she greeted him, "can I help you?"

"Good afternoon to you, too. Is my father here?"

Irene sighed, unwilling to have to prompt him. "And that would be...?"

The man laughed softly. "Of course. Where are my manners? My father is His Majesty, Ao Guang."

_Of course._

"So that must make you Prince Kai," she said, quickly hurrying into a curtsy, "your highness."

Kai laughed easily, the sound almost like a babbling brook. "No need for the formality, unless you somehow find it essential. But I see that my reputation has preceded me, though I cannot say the same about  _you_ , Miss--"

He trailed off, clearly expecting a response from Irene. She had to think, and  _fast_.

"Winters," she decided, "Miss Irene Winters."

The prince smiled softly at her, though the expression on his face conveyed the fact that, though it wasn't  _entirely_ evident, he had caught on to the true sources of the name.

"Miss Irene Winters," he repeated, "such a beautiful name."

"Thank you."

_I chose it entirely myself._

"So, Miss  _Irene Winters,"_ Kai said, "you didn't answer my first question."

Oh, right. Ao Guang.

"Yes, your father is here," she replied, "he's in the throne room."

Kai took her hand and kissed it gently. "Thank you, Miss Winters. I trust I'll see you again sometime soon?"

"Perhaps," Irene agreed, "now, you should probably hurry up. Your father is waiting for you, and I have a job to do."

Kai smiled and gave a slight bow before leaving the room, and Irene with it.

* * *

Irene could not believe herself. It had literally been  _hours,_ yet all she could think of was the stupid prince. His voice, his face, his mannerisms...

God, what had happened to her earlier plans? Get in. Get out. Avoid all contact with others whenever possible.

 _Clear your mind, Irene,_ she chided herself,  _focus on your mission._

But, damn it all, she couldn't. She could only focus on one thing at a time, and her mind wanted to focus on Prince Kai.

"Miss Winters!"

Speak of the devil...

Irene turned to face him, dropping into a curtsy. "Your highness."

"Please," he said softly, smiling at her, "you can just call me Kai."

"Kai," she repeated, testing it out.

Kai nodded. "Irene."

 _Crap,_ Irene thought,  _all of a sudden, I'm on first-name basis with a dragon prince._

This could only lead to a downward spiral of some sort.

"I... I'm sorry," she managed after a moment or two, "I have to leave."

Kai looked about ready to open his mouth and say something, perhaps try to convince her to stay, but it was too late. She had already turned tail and ran.

* * *

"My son," Ao Guang said, ignoring the plateful of food in front of him in favor of beginning a conversation, "you seem... Mentally preoccupied."

Kai snorted derisively, moving a part of his salad across his plate. "Maybe I  _am._ "

"What is it that's on your mind?"

Kai's face flushed a little. He was not about to go about telling his father that he was thinking of a woman. Of a  _servant._ While his father would not judge-- Kai, after all, was the son of someone from a lower class of dragon-- Kai still felt slightly awkward about it.

Besides, he sensed that the woman was not of his kind. That she was not a  _dragon._ If his parentage didn't bring enough shame to Kai's name, him loving a human would definitely do it.

"Nothing, Father."

Ao Guang raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?"

Kai shrugged. "Perhaps."

The dragon king did not look amused. "Perhaps? That is the answer of someone who is trying to hide something."

Kai scowled but managed to maintain an otherwise calm demeanor. "It really  _is_ nothing, Father. Just a woman who has caught my eye. That is all."

"A woman?"

"Yes," Kai sighed, "but... It's foolish."

Ao Guang's other eyebrow went up. "What makes you say that?"

"She-- the woman, that is-- happens to be... She's one of the palace servants."

The dragon king picked up his glass of water and took a sip before continuing. "May I ask her name?"

"Irene. Miss Irene Winters."

Ao Guang paused, clearly racking his mind. "That name... It does not ring a bell for me."

Kai raised an eyebrow. "Really? I thought that  _you_ of all people would know who she is. I had assumed that you had hired her sometime while I was gone."

"If I did, I have no such recollection," Ao Guang said, "though it is not entirely impossible that one of the staff members hired this woman on without my knowledge, thinking that she would be an asset to the work effort here."

"Perhaps," Kai complied, "perhaps you are correct."

* * *

The next time that they saw each other, Irene was absolutely exhausted. As it turned out, Ao Guang was quite fond of his books. Or, at the very least, fond enough to place two guards outside of the doors each night.

Irene had spent several minutes standing in the shadows, trying to figure out a way to get inside without getting caught. And then she had decided that it would be best if she headed somewhere quieter to think it over. Somewhere that she could be completely alone, left to her thoughts and ideas.

She headed towards the palace gardens. People tended to drift towards certain areas of the gardens, and Irene knew just where every person or group of people enjoyed being.

She wandered towards her favorite section of the garden, a far corner where a bench sat, hidden beneath the branches of a large weeping willow. Secluded. Quiet. Peaceful.

Irene smiled to herself. It wasn't hard to imagine having a book to read, or something to paint, or a person to talk to. Not when she sat under that tree.

In fact, she would greatly enjoy something like that...

"Miss Winters?"

Irene froze. She vaguely recognized the voice, but she couldn't quite place it in the moment. But that fact didn't do anything to shake the sudden fear that she felt.

Had she just been discovered?

"Miss Winters," the voice repeated itself, "I'm honestly surprised to see you out here. Especially at this hour."

Irene turned to face the speaker and quickly dropped into a curtsy. "Prince Kai."

He smirked. "I thought we discussed this earlier, Irene. It's just the two of us: you can call me Kai."

"Kai," she amended, rolling her eyes, "was I wrong to assume that you would be preoccupied all night?"

"I was," Kai admitted, somewhat sheepishly, "but, if I'm being completely honest, I could care less about a majority of the people who are in there, let alone any activities or festivities that they may have planned. It's just a little too... Suffocating."

Irene nodded a little. She had been in situations in the past where she'd had to pretend to be nobility, or of some wealthy status or other. Parties. Dresses. High heels.

Kai had found a good word for it.  
_Suffocating._

"So, Irene. What brings  _you_ out here?"

_Think quick. Be plausible._

"My bedroom gets rather hot and stuffy in the night," she began, "it always helps me to come out here for a little bit before I go to bed. Get some fresh air."

Kai nodded understandingly. "Of course."

Irene looked away. He was  _too_ handsome,  _too_ attractive. Too kind and understanding.

She had to remember her reason for being there. She had to remember her mission, and the Library. She wasn't here on holiday, and she  _definitely_ wasn't here to develop  _feelings_ for someone.

And then she realized something. She was talking to the  _prince,_ for goodness' sake. How had she not thought of this sooner?!

"Though I  _do_ tend to feel more calm and relaxed whenever I'm around books."

Kai shot her a sidelong glance. "You come out  _here_ instead of going into the library?"

Irene shook her head. "No. It's guarded at night."

"Do you have any books in your room?"

Again, she shook her head. She had been tempted to bring one of her books with her, but she knew that free time would be minimal. Besides, she didn't want any distractions from the mission at hand.

She would get some time to herself in the Library later.

"You know what?" Kai asked, sounding somewhat decisive, "let's go. We can find some books for you inside of the palace library."

Irene looked up at him, putting on her most disbelieving expression. "Really? You... You'd do that for me?"

Kai nodded. "Of course. Now, come on."

He stood and offered her his arm. She took it and allowed him to lead her back inside the palace, towards the library.

* * *

Kai smiled to himself as he watched Irene take in his father's library for the first time. Her dark eyes had gone wide and bright at the sight of the room, and her grin had probably been bright enough to light up the entire palace, if the need ever arose.

"Wow," Irene breathed, unable to take her eyes off the shelves full of books, "I... This is amazing. I don't even know where to  _begin._ "

Kai smiled. "What type of book do you enjoy?"

Thankfully, Coppelia had sent her after a book that belonged in the category that she truly  _did_ enjoy: she was after a mystery.

"Detective fiction," she answered immediately, "something along the lines of Sherlock Holmes, perhaps?"

Kai nodded, thoughtfully putting a finger to his chin. "I do believe that we put those near the horror section..."

He began to make his way across the room, towards where Irene assumed the genres that had just been mentioned were housed.

"So... Sherlock Holmes?" Kai asked, pinpointing the crime fiction, "as it appears, we have a vast collection of stories containing him. Are you looking for a specific author, or title...?"

"Anything by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle himself," Irene responded promptly, already scanning the spines herself, "perhaps..."

She stopped. There, on the shelf that was right in front of her, was a leatherbound copy of the tome she was after: Sherlock Holmes' Beginnings. While Doyle touched on Holmes' background a few times throughout the original canon-- the few stories that managed to stay exactly the same in just about every alternate, at least in Irene's experience-- this was the only alternate in which Doyle wrote an entire short story anthology dedicated to the famous detective's backstory. Not many copies existed, even here... And one of those few copies was right in front of Irene.

She reached out to take it, carefully. "I've only  _heard_ of this one."

Kai laughed. "Most people are in the same boat as you. Not many have been able to see it, though. Let alone  _hold_ it or  _read_ it."

"May I borrow it?" she asked, turning to face him, "I promise that I'll take good care of it."

Kai laughed. "Of course. Though you might want to hurry through it. It's always in high demand among the staff and my family."

"Of course."

Suddenly, Irene felt slightly unsure of herself. "Always in high demand" meant that people would actually  _miss_ the book. They would take notice that it had disappeared, and try their hardest to hunt either the book or herself down.

No way was she risking that.

She cradled the book to her chest, already coming to a decision. She would copy the book down by hand, word for word, and bring  _that_ into the Library. It was something that she rarely ever did, but she was willing to do it if need be.

And right now, her heart was telling her to do just that. As much as the book meant to her and the Library, it likely meant more to the people to which it  _belonged._

"Irene?"

Irene looked up at Kai, dark brown eyes meeting dark blue. "I'm fine. Just... Extremely grateful."

Kai raised an eyebrow. "Grateful?"

"Yes," Irene said quietly, "I didn't expect to be able to get in here in the first place, let alone get to  _borrow_ a book. You made it all possible. Thank you."

Kai smiled at her. "You're welcome."

Against her own better judgment, Irene leaned in and kissed the dragon prince's cheek. "Good night, Kai."

"Good night, Irene."

As soon as Irene had left the room, Kai raised his hand to touch the spot where she had kissed his cheek. His grin was wide enough to fit an entire planet within it. But he hardly minded.

Not one bit.

* * *

Irene stayed up all night, copying the stories from the book onto scratch paper. She hardly paid any attention to what she was doing; it was almost as if she had put herself on some copy-and-paste autopilot feature. Words after words from one paper to another, none necessarily sticking in her mind. (Though, of course, she paid as much attention as was needed to ensure complete and utter accuracy in the copy, as per Library guidelines).

In fact, she was so invested in her Library work that she hardly noticed the fact that, outside, the sun had risen, and that the palace was again buzzing with its daily hum of life and laughter.

Not until the knock at her bedroom door, at least.

"Who is it?" she called, quickly hiding the pile of completed papers that she had finished.

"A friend."

Irene breathed a small sigh of relief. She knew that voice: Kai. She went to get the door for him.

"Good morning," she said once she could see him face-to-face, "to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"

"First off, it's the afternoon," Kai began with a smug smirk, "you haven't shown your face... Well,  _anywhere._ People begin to grow concerned."

Irene mentally slapped herself. Hell, even faking ill would have been a smarter move than simply holing up in her room and copying the book.

"My deepest apologies," she muttered, "I have been feeling off all day and thought it best to keep to myself. I forgot to notify anyone, though."

Kai raised an eyebrow. "And when you say that you've been  _feeling off,_  you mean..."

"I'm sick."

"No, you're not."

Irene gave a pitiful fake cough. "Yes, I am."

"I can tell that you're not," Kai said, shaking his head, "maybe you're simply experiencing what people call 'cabin fever.'"

Well, he wasn't  _entirely_ wrong... Irene nodded a little.

"Yes. I am growing kind of bored, staying here all day every day."

Kai smiled at her. "I thought that was the case. Here. Come with me."

"Where are we going?"

The smile turned into a mischievous grin. "You'll see."

* * *

"No way," Irene said, "there's absolutely no way you're going to get me into  _that_."

Kai frowned. "Why not?"

He was holding a silk dress in his hands, colored a beautiful dark green.

Irene had to admit, the dress was absolutely beautiful. And it was in her main color. But that didn't mean that there weren't reasons that kept her from simply trying the dress on.

For one, she knew that once she had the dress on, she would be unable to take it off. Second, she had minimal funds on her. This was  _real_ silk, and in every alternate that she knew, that stuff didn't come cheap. Finally, if she even had the opportunity to wear it, her track record with nice dresses wasn't necessarily the best.

"Just try it on, Irene," Kai pled, "if you like it, I'll pay."

Irene sighed deeply, but took the dress nonetheless. "Fine. I'll give it a shot. But no guarantees."

Kai smiled at her. "Alright."

Irene stepped into one of the dressing stalls, quickly changing into the dress. When she looked in the mirror, she felt her jaw drop. Kai was right. The dress  _did_ look nice on her.

Too nice.

She stepped out to show him, and his expression pretty much mirrored her own reaction. His jaw dropped and he just stood there, staring at her.

"So?"

"Irene," he murmured, "you look... You look absolutely  _breathtaking."_

 _And you sound absolutely breathtak en, _she thought to herself.

Kai nodded his approval, slowly circling her and inspecting the dress from every angle that he deemed appropriate. "I think it's settled. We are getting you that dress."

"Kai..."

"Irene," he insisted, "let me buy you something nice, alright?"

She sighed. "Fine. But we're going somewhere a bit cheaper for our lunch."

Kai grinned. "It's a deal."

* * *

The evening ended back at Irene's room, with a quiet conversation. Finally, Kai left, gently kissing her hand before leaving. Irene smiled to herself before heading into the room. She put the green dress that Kai had insisted on buying her down on the bed and gazed wistfully at it for a moment before shaking her head.

She had work to do. Work that  _didn't_ involve falling for a dragon prince.

Irene turned towards the desk, where the papers, quill and ink, and book sat. She went to sit down at the desk, ready to resume her previous work. But as she copied the words down, she found that she wasn't doing it like she had earlier. All of her fervor... It had completely dissipated at some point while she was out with Kai.

 _Fervor or not,_ she reminded herself sternly,  _you are here for a reason. Get the book and get out. Easy as that._

Funny, though, how one man could completely change that mentality.

* * *

Several days later, Irene finally completed copying the book down. It had taken many sleepless nights-- Kai had insisted on entertaining her every free minute that they had, still under the belief that she was tired of being stuck inside-- but it was finally over.

She wasn't ready to leave this alternate. Not yet, at least. She had spent far too much time here, far too much time with Kai, to just...  _Leave._

But it was the middle of the night. There was no better time to sneak out of the palace, find the local library, and force an entry into the Library from there. Or to get into the palace library and do the same.

Irene was glad that Kai had gotten his father to give her exclusive permission to visit the palace library whenever she pleased.

But she  _had_ to say good-bye, somehow.

That's when she noticed the papers and quill and ink, still scattered across her desk. Waiting to be used one last time.

_Dear Kai -_

_Off to a good start,_ she mentally remarked, rolling her eyes,  _how are we going to top this masterpiece?_

 _I have enjoyed spending the past few weeks with you. Major thanks for doing all that you did. It means a lot to me._  
_I regret to inform you, though, that I am being summoned to leave. I do not know just how long I'll be gone for, or if I'll even return. But I do know that I will treasure the time that I spent here. Especially the time that I got to spend with you._  
 _Thank you for everything, Kai. I really do hope that we can see each other once more, later on. Until then, though, be patient._  
 _Yours, Irene._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys. This beat the record for longest one-shot piece that I have EVER WRITTEN, beating out "Gabriel"-- which was 2,883 words long.
> 
> Also, I got another prompt from sorryilostmyself on the same day and am considering writing that as a sequel of sorts to this piece.


	98. Subtle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A request for an anon on Tumblr.

"Do you even know what subtle means?"

Kai raised an eyebrow at Irene. "Sorry?"

"You should be," she responded, "I told you to keep it subtle, at least until Bradamant left. She doesn't need to know that we're together; nobody does."

"Irene... I understand your need to keep this secret from the Library. Believe me, I do. But... She wasn't here on business. She swore it herself."

"What's  _that_ matter?"

"Irene," he said again, "I love you. I'm proud to call you mine. And, if we're being completely honest here, I really want to show you off to anyone and everyone I possibly can."

Irene snorted. "Oh, so  _look at this human whose heart I have conquered."_

"No," Kai said, shaking his head, "more like  _look at this amazing woman who I have the opportunity to love."_

Irene smiled at him a little. "You're too much."

"I know," he said softly, "but it's true. I love you."

"I love you, too."


	99. Conversation & Cuddles

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt from coffee-goth-princess.

"Okay, Kai?" Irene asked, "I need you to start from the beginning. You lost me right after you said that you punched someone."

Kai groaned a little. "That was the first thing that I said!"

"It _was_ , wasn't it?"

Kai wrapped an arm around her. "It's fine, Irene."

"No," she said firmly, "it's not fine. I just... Really spaced out there."

"So I gathered."

"I'm sorry, Kai..."

She let out a loud yawn. Kai frowned, pulling her a little closer to him.

"You're exhausted, 'Rene," he whispered, "why don't you get some rest?"

"I probably shouldn't..."

"Irene," he said, his voice firm now, "a little nap never hurt anyone. C'mon."

Irene wanted to argue, but he was so warm and comforting... She rested her head on his chest and allowed him to hold her close. Maybe a nap  _would_ do her some good...

"Love you, Kai."

He smiled, kissing the top of her head. "Love you too, 'Rene."


	100. Taken by Storm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Request from anonymous: "Pretty please can you write Kai and Irene cuddling and watching a storm?"

Irene woke up to the sound of thunder, loud and booming. Enough to shake the flat.

Kai was nowhere to be seen.

Irene sat up before making the decision to find him. He was likely in their living room, sitting on the couch and watching the storm rage outside.

Indeed, he was.

"Kai?"

Kai looked up. "Hey, 'Rene."

He patted the seat next to him. "Join me?"

Irene smiled, moving to join him. Kai smiled, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and holding her close. She put a hand on his chest, leaning her head on his shoulder.

"The storm?"

"Yeah," he responded, "so... Mesmerizing."

Irene chuckled. "Yes, it is."

Kai gently squeezed her shoulders. "I love you so much."

"Love you, too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, so... Again with the "short and sweet."  
> But good news is that I'm considering extending a lot of my pieces-- maybe in a separate book?-- so that there's more... Meat to them, I suppose you could say.


	102. ?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Request from coffee-goth-princess.

"Irene, you're absolutely soaked right now."

Irene snorted. "Well,  _someone_ didn't think to protect me from the sudden onslaught of rain."

Kai chuckled, taking her in his arms. "You know, you look absolutely beautiful. Especially when you're completely soaked."

Irene pouted, and Kai chuckled again, drawing her in for a kiss.

She complied.

* * *

Irene frowned. "It's raining again.

Kai nodded, leaning down to grab an umbrella and stepping out onto the front steps, opening it up. "Step right up, milady."

Irene rolled her eyes. "You know, Vale's going to be pissed when he discovers we stole one of his umbrellas."

"Vale!" Kai yelled into the flat, "we're borrowing one of your umbrellas. We'll return it next time we come over."

Vale called some sort of affirmation back and Kai smiled.

" _Now_ will you join me?"

Irene sighed, looping her arm in his. "Fine."

* * *

They made it halfway home when the rain became blinding, forcing Irene and Kai to stop walking for a little while.

Kai wrapped his arm around Irene, who smiled at him. And then they stood for a moment, admiring the torrential rain surrounding them. And then Kai leaned in and kissed Irene briefly.

"Kai."

"Yes?"

Irene didn't say anything more, instead pulling him in for a longer, more passionate kiss.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Again, this is the collection of all the "Invisible Library" writing (one-shots, that is) that I have done for the year 2019... Once the year is over, I will mark this work as finished and then make a new one for the year of 2020.


End file.
